


Revelations

by Rodan427



Series: Power Rangers Ninjetti [1]
Category: Power Rangers
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 14:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8289614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodan427/pseuds/Rodan427
Summary: Zordon and Dark Specter are dead.  The United Alliance of Evil has been vanquished and cleansed.  However in the year following the Dino Thunder team's triumph over Mesogog, a different and greater threat looms over the earth.  Called from his peaceful and happy life on Aquitar, Billy must return to Earth with a new friend and mentor.  Together, they must gather together the rest of the former Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, and reveal a secret to them.  One with dire consequences.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my Ninjetti series! Thank you for reading. I started writing this series over a decade ago. During that time, I wrote eight and half episodes, posting them onto another website. Therefore, the first seven episodes, along with what I have for Episode VIII, are going to pop onto the site really fast. After I am done with that, though, uploads are going to take longer as I will be writing and revising several episodes at a time. I therefore ask for your patience in that regards and will keep you posted as best as I can. My hope is that I will not keep you waiting for too long. In the meantime, enjoy! Feel free to leave comments and kudos. I welcome the communication.

Laden with rolled up diagrams, drawings, and notes all teetering in his hands, Californian high school senior, Billy Cranston exited the Zeo Zord Holding Bay.  Readjusting his grip on the pile, he hurried down the royal blue, metallic hallway leading to the Power Chamber, his heart pumping with glee.  _Trey definitely knows how to give a gift,_ he thought, once more thanking the humanoid Lord of Triforia, and former Gold Ranger.  They had needed this gift.   _If he hadn’t turned over those gems, Mondo unquestionably would have defeated us and conquered the earth._  Images of cogs, King Mondo’s foot soldiers, patrolling through the streets and terrorizing the public, shot through the former Power Ranger/now technical assistant's mind.  However, he shook those images out of his mind, smiling that Earth was safe and free.

 _Whoever had built the Super Zeo Zords knew what they were doing,_ he remarked for the fortieth time.  The Zords’ technology was more advanced and efficient than what Zordon (the ranger’s mentor), Alpha 5 (Zordon’s robotic assistant, whom manned the Power Chamber’s controls), and Billy had developed for the Zeo Zords.  After seeing their display of power during yesterday’s battle, Billy had been itching to analyze them in depth.  Having woken up early that day (thankfully on the weekend), he had been working nonstop for the past five hours.  Though he was nowhere near done, he felt a demonstration was in order for Super Zeo Zords 1 and 2.  Also, having marked several corrections, he wanted to scan some of his plans back into the zord database.  Breathless but light on his feet, Billy quickened to a jog towards the triple door entrance of the Power Chamber.

But the doors refused to open automatically.

Halting mere inches from them, he swept his eyes for any evidence of sabotage.  He found none.   _Must be a malfunction,_ he surmised, sitting the stack of papers on the floor.  Crossing to the wall to his right, he typed in a code into a small computer console for the door’s emergency release lever.  It popped out automatically from a hatch on the floor.  Crouching, Billy reached for the lever.

Suddenly a male voice yelled at Zordon from within the Power Chamber, his words slightly muffled through the wall.  Adrenaline pumped through Billy, his throat tightening.  _An intruder,_ he thought.  He listened but was unable to understand the man’s words; automatically, he hunched his shoulders.  However Zordon replied calmly and sympathetically, his voice resonating throughout the multi-story high room.  “Patience, good friend.  Allow me to explain.”

Hearing the change in tone, Billy relaxed his composure but crouched by the doors, pressing an ear to them.

“I cannot believe you allowed that transfer to happen!” the unfamiliar voice protested further.

 _Why?_ Billy pondered.  Suddenly the memory of him spying on Zordon and Alpha 5 when they were making the new White Ranger flashed in his mind.  He shook the irritation from his mind and listened.

“Zordon, it is more dangerous for him to have those powers!” the stranger continued.

“There wasn’t time to explain,” Zordon answered.  “It was imperative for us to transfer the Golden Powers from the Treys to someone else as soon as possible or the Golden Powers would have been lost.  Tommy did not tell us who he had selected for the candidate so I could make no objections.”

“Don’t hide behind logic, Zordon.  You could have told him before the transfer or at least after the battle,” the stranger pointed out.  “We agreed to tell him especially if he ever became a ranger again.”

Billy blinked.   _What had Zordon not told Jason?  Why had he not told him or the others present?_  It had nothing to do with the transfer; Billy had been there, monitoring it during the last battle.  Everything had checked out for Jason. 

Unfortunately, because King Mondo had ordered the monster to grow giant-size, and upon discovering that the monster was coated with a near invincible armor, the rangers’ current zords would have been ineffective against it and most likely destroyed if summoned.  Therefore, the Treys’ gift had come at a perfect moment.

“There wasn’t an opportune time,” Zordon confessed.  “If I had held Jason back, the others would’ve asked questions about what I had told him.”

“And the secret would have been revealed.  Or at least suspicion, the seed of paranoia.”

A pause.  Billy waited for the response.

“It isn’t right to keep them in the dark, Zordon,” the stranger said, “When they have a right to know.  It is as if you do not trust them.”

“I trust all of them with my life,” Zordon said, raising his voice slightly.  “However, the time is not yet right for them to know the truth.  Secrecy is our best strategy for now.”

The stranger heaved a deep sigh.  “I accept, know, and understand.  Please forgive me.  However, is it right to hide this from the Zeo Rangers?  It affects them too.”

 _If this affects my friends, it affects me also,_ Billy thought.  Dropping the pile, he pulled the emergency release lever.  Storming into the Power Chamber proper, he glanced around.  Nothing had been damaged.  He was glad.

The metallic walls, ceiling, and floor were of the same dark blue as the outside hallway, but the Chamber was lit with a medium glow.  A computer console was positioned before him at near the center of the room.  On the wall in front of the console were two computer screens.  To the right of them, a bluish energy tube stood which held the three dimensional projection of the wavy, blue-colored, bald head of Zordon, the rangers’ mentor and the one that had selected them all to be Rangers.  To Billy’s right, the White, Black, Pink, Blue, Yellow, and Red Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger costumes and Power Weapons stood in memorandum in seven glass covered alcoves.

Billy glanced to his left.  Freezing on the spot, his eyes widened.

There, the Green Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger stood, his triangular golden chest shield folding over his shoulders and narrowing to a point at his navel.  Golden armbands gripped his upper arms while golden borders ringed the tops of his gloves and boots.  Emerald green dominated the remainder of his costume save for his neck cover and the glimpses of the white diamond shape underneath his shield.

“Tommy?” Billy automatically asked.

The Ranger slowly shook his head.

However Billy already noticed key differences between this ranger’s costume and the costume his friend, Tommy Oliver, had worn as the Green Ranger before becoming the White Ranger.

In fact Tommy’s original green ranger costume had never been displayed in the Power Chamber’s wall memorial.  Though the current Zeo Rangers (Katherine, Tanya, Rocky DeSantos, Adam Park, and Tommy Oliver) and Billy had guesses as to why, none of them knew for certain.  Zordon and Alpha 5 had never divulged a reason nor mentioned the green ranger powers when the Power Chamber had supplanted the destroyed Command Center.

 _Is he the reason why?_ Billy wondered, referring to the strange ranger.

As these thoughts whisked through Billy’s mind, the Ranger before him shook his head again.  Curious now, Billy noticed clear differences in Ranger’s costume.

A rustic golden circular medallion no wider than four inches sat nestled within the Ranger’s diamond shaped center of his shield.  Carved upon it in raised 3D detail, a bird the cross between an eagle and a swan soared in still flight.  Billy lifted his eyes to the top of the ranger’s helmet.  Instead of bearing the eyes and brow of a dragon, the top of the stranger’s helmet possessed the brow of the same bird on his chest.

Billy stood paralyzed with shock, staring at the unknown supposedly humanoid ranger, judging from the body frame.  _This made no sense_ , he thought _.  Had Zordon made a new ranger?  If not, where did he come from?  Was he from another planet?  Did the others know about this?  If so, why didn’t I?_

“Billy, you should not be here,” Zordon said.

“Where’s Alpha 5?” Billy asked, refusing to take his eyes off of the Ranger.  Suspicions raced through his genius mind.

“Alpha 5 is regenerating at the moment,” the Ranger replied, gesturing behind him.

Billy peered in the direction.  Indeed Alpha 5 stood in his wall alcove regenerating in sleep mode.

“I was wondering when you were going to come inside,” the stranger mentioned.

“You knew I was there?” Billy asked, bewildered.

The ranger nodded.  “Perhaps you would prefer if I showed you my face,” he suggested, already reaching to unclip his helmet.

He was human.  He looked about twenty-five with short, thick brown hair and an angular, pointed face.  His medium gray eyes bore several years, if not decades, of war, pain, and many years of life beyond his physical appearance, as if he had faced hardships all of his life.  Yet underneath the pain there was a benevolent quality to them.  From just behind his right temple, a jagged scar cut up into his scalp and brow and also down into the middle of his cheek.  Whether it was recent or old, Billy could not tell.  He was not well versed in healing physiology.

The stranger extended his hand to Billy.  They shook hands.  “My name is Sean,” he said courteously inclining his head forward in a slight nod.  “It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Forgive the abruptness, Billy, but I must know how much you heard,” Zordon said.

“Only that you needed to tell Jason something when he received Trey’s powers.”

“I see,” Zordon said.  “While I understand your concerns, I cannot allow you to repeat what you have heard to anyone.”

Sean turned to Zordon.  “If I cannot tell Billy the whole truth, then let me tell Jason.”

“If Jason knew, it would only be a matter of time before Dark Specter would know also,” said Zordon.

 _Dark Spector?_ Billy wondered, searching his knowledge for any familiarity.  He came up short.

“I can hide Jason from him,” said Sean.

“Yes, but for how long?” Zordon asked.  “Dark Specter has spies everywhere—even on Eltar.”

Billy blinked.  _That’s Zordon’s home._

“You are the best fighter I have ever known but even you cannot stop all of the Monarch of Evil’s forces.”

“Monarch of Evil?” Billy asked, glancing at both.   _Zordon had never mentioned that title before._

“Yes, Billy,” Zordon answered.  “Dark Specter is the master of the emperors and queens of Evil throughout the universe—the sole overlord of the United Alliance of Evil.”

“You’d mentioned that empire before.”

“Yes, and even King Mondo and Lord Zedd cannot compare with Dark Specter’s power.  Indeed I doubt that the Machine Empire will remain seceded from Dark Specter for long.”

As a scientist Billy ingested the information, but a chill fell upon him.  Hairs along the back of his neck tingled.  The knowledge whirled within his mind.  While he had known that the universe was vast, the scope of these legions stretched his perception.  Blinking he stared at Zordon through new eyes.  _Is Dark Specter Zordon’s_ real _nemesis?_ he wondered.

In the past, Zordon had expressed his fear at Lord Zedd’s arrival and afterwards the arrival of his father-in-law, Master Vile.  A tendril of dread danced inside Billy.  He ignored it.  “Is Dark Specter a threat to Earth?” Billy finally asked.

“At the present, no.”

At this, Sean stepped forward.  “I would protect Jason with my life,” he pledged, “even if I had to fight Dark Specter himself.”

“You need not fight alone,” Zordon said.  “I intend on telling Billy everything.”

“Seriously?” Sean asked.

“He and the other rangers have expressed their curiosity about the Alliance of Evil, and he has proven himself worthy to hear of this information.”

“Tell me what?” Billy inquired.

“A secret kept between only Sean and me that affects the entire universe and further dimensions,” Zordon said.  “If what we fear comes to pass, it will take more than Sean, Alpha, and me to confront it.  Will you help us?”

The day that Zordon had bestowed upon Zack, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, and Jason their first power coins and morphers, Zordon had asked for their blind faith but he had given a bit more information about Rita Repulsa’s evil plans.  Now, after three plus years of defending the earth from five major villains, Billy had learned to trust Zordon’s council.

Despite his trust, Billy remained objective.  Ever since Zordon had mentioned the United Alliance of Evil during his introduction of the Machine Empire a few months ago, Zordon had remained reluctant to reveal more of this broader organization.  While curious to learn more, Billy trusted that Zordon had his reasons for secrecy.  “But I won’t be able to tell the others, will I?” he inquired, expecting it to be rhetorical.

“That choice rests with you,” Zordon answered.  “However, I strongly advise that you refuse to divulge or let on to anyone outside of us and Alpha that you know this truth, despite any implication you feel at the time.”

“You’re taking a risk even though I spied on you and Alpha making the White Ranger,” Billy confessed for the first time.

“I appreciated your honesty.  However I should point out that you were younger than and also that I trust you.  Alpha and I could erase your short term memory but I suspect your curiosity would remain unaffected.  You have been patient for these past several months.  I grant you the opportunity to have the information you sough then and seek now at the price of greater integrity.”

“I swore to protect the Earth three and a half years ago; and I swear now to help anyway I can,” Billy said.

“Thank you, Billy,” Zordon said with a nod.  “You may proceed, Sean.”

“Do not be afraid,” Sean said.  A green light shined from beneath his skin and through his costume as though a star shined from within.  The call of a melodious bird echoed throughout the room.  Bright beams of golden light flowed out of Sean’s hands and into Billy.

Immediately, a cerulean light glowed from deep within Billy, its light illuminating the vast room.

When the lights faded, Billy stood in amazement, inspecting his different outfit.  Once again, he was adorned in the blue Ninjetti outfit.  It was a somewhat baggy ninja outfit made out of a cotton-like substance except for the leather headband tied around his forehead, shoulder pads, gloves, and gauntlets.  Tied around his waist was a long blue sash.  A familiar hood and mask covered his head and face, revealing only his eyes.  Fastened onto the center of his chest, a golden medallion carved, with the insignia of a wolf’s head and neck, glistened in Billy’s light.

“Welcome back, Blue Ranger,” Zordon said, pride and excitement beaming in his voice.  The howl of a gray wolf echoed throughout the Power Chamber.  “May you and Sean be the first of this new incarnation.”


	2. Billy's Choice

Billy floated on his back in the middle of Aquitar’s vast ocean, basking in the warmth of its sun. The sun of his home.

Eyes closed, he smiled.  Eight and a half years had passed since he had moved here.

Months after he had met Sean, Billy’s aging had accelerated to the point that he was ninety years old in a matter of hours.  After consulting with the Aquitians, it was decided that water from the Eternal Falls on Aquitar could restore his natural age and aging process.  Cestria, an old friend Billy had met on his first trip to Aquitar, had come to Earth to give Billy a dose of that water.  Since it was not enough, Billy had to return to Aquitar for more doses.  After he was cured, he decided to stay on Aquitar with Cestria, declaring that he had finally found someone he could share his life with.  And the two of them married, resulting in the happiest years Billy had ever had.

As he lay on the water, he recounted some of the most memorable moments of his life—the birth of his children.  Titrus had been born four years ago while Arqua had been born a little over a month ago.  Together with Cestria, Titrus, and Arqua his life was perfect and he was content to stay on Aquitar for the rest of his life.  He was at peace.  This was his home and he loved everything there.

As Billy lay on the ocean’s surface, Sean’s voice whispered within his mind.  _Billy, may I speak with you in your house?_

Billy stirred out of his doze as if he had just awoken from a pleasant dream, turned over, and dived under the water.  He headed straight for the bottom with Olympic-like speed and agility, wearing no scuba gear.  Due to his treatment from the waters from the Eternal Falls, he had become part Aquitian.  Thereby he could breathe in the water through his skin, though his body still registered as human.  Although he could have teleported himself to his house, there had been something urgent in Sean’s message that made him think otherwise.  As he swam, Billy wondered what Sean needed him for.  It had been weeks since he had seen him.

Entering his house, Billy proceeded into what could be called the living room.  It was at least ten feet tall and the turquoise curved walls gave the room the double effect of an organic feeling to it and also as if the house had been hollowed out of this structure.  A wide window on Billy’s left revealed the vast ocean of Aquitar.  Several creatures—either amphibious or purely aquatic—of different sizes swam near and far from the window.

Sean stood at the far end of the room, leaning on the wall.  Now in his early thirties, he was dressed in gray jeans with a green tank top that was visible through an open, loosely tucked in white button down dress shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows.  He held his left elbow in a slight caress.  Right below the joint was a second degree burn.  Despite the wound, he looked the same as he had when he had first met Billy.

“When did you get that?” asked Billy.

“I’ve had assassins tailing me for the past two weeks,” Sean answered, his voice revealing that the assassins were below his caliber.  “Whether they want me dead or simply distracted, I am uncertain.  But they definitely have my attention.”

“Are my friends alright?” Billy asked worry growing in his face.  He paid no heed to Sean’s wound, for it was minor and Billy knew all too well that Sean could handle himself.  Being the enemy of an empire had its risks.

“Yes,” Sean said, raising his hand.  “Nonetheless, I think it is time for them to know the truth.”

“What makes you say that?” Billy asked.

“Jason has been gone for a week,” Sean said.  “Nobody knows where he is and Trini is tormenting herself with worry.”

Jason and Trini had been married for the past seven years.  During such time, Jason had never done anything suspicious.  And yet, how Sean had said this gave Billy a sense of foreboding.  “But you do," he said, realizing it was futile to make it question.

Sean nodded, confirming Billy’s suspicions.  “Yes, I do,” Sean answered, staring out the window and then back at Billy, pity on his face.

Billy sighed.  So the day he and Sean had been waiting for was finally here.  That knowledge tore his insides apart.  He knew all too well that the truth would shatter his friends but there was no going around it.  As he and Sean had said eight and a half years ago, his friends had a right to know.  But now leaving was more complicated.

“If you wish to discuss this with your family before you leave, you may,” Sean said and he turned towards the doorway.  “They are coming this way as we speak.”

“That still freaks me out,” Billy replied, turning his head in the direction of the doorway.

A second later, Cestria came through it, holding their newborn daughter, Arqua, in her arms, with Titrus trotting beside her.  She and the children had been at the market to get some food for what Billy would call dinner.  Hesitating at first, Billy went over to his wife and embraced her, a human custom she had learned to enjoy.

“I did not expect you back so soon,” Cestria said, handing Arqua to him.  She saluted Sean with the traditional Aquitian wave greeting hand gesture.  “Greetings, Sean.  It is an honor to see you again.”

“My apologizes for the intrusion, Cestria,” Sean said with a curt bow, “But the time has come for Billy to return to Earth.”

“Is this true?” she asked, turning to her husband.

“Yes,” Billy said.

Since Billy had told her everything (by Zordon’s leave) Cestria knew exactly what he was talking about.  For a moment, her face filled with sorrow and worry.

“When will I see you again?” Cestria asked, controlling herself.  Her heart was tearing at the thought of Billy leaving.

“I don’t know,” Billy said and he turned to address Sean.  “When must we leave?”

Sean was leaning on the far side of the wall nearest to Billy with his arms crossed over his chest.  “The sooner the better,” Sean said.  “If you wish to stay here for a while, I will inform your friends of the situation.  Though it would be easier for them to trust me if you were there also.”

Billy turned to his wife and children – torn between his desire to stay and a longing to go.  He couldn’t decide which impulse was greater.  Going to see his friends would be terrific but the reason for his visit was horrifying.  However, if he stayed on Aquitar he would be running from his Ranger duties and his promise to Zordon.

“No, I am going with you,” Billy said to Sean after a long pause, handing Arqua back to Cestria.  “Just give me a moment to say good-bye to my family.”

Sean nodded in response.

“Dad, where are you going?” Titrus asked.

“I have to go to Earth, but I will be back as soon as I can,” Billy said as he got to his knees to look Titrus in the eyes.  “I want you to look after your sister and mother while I am gone.  Promise me you will.”

“Alright,” Titrus answered and he gave his father a hug.

“I shall inform Delpine of this,” Cestria said as she hugged her husband with her free hand.  “Should I ask the Aquitian Rangers to join you on Earth?” she added as Billy kissed Arqua on the forehead.

Years ago, shortly before King Mondo had invaded Earth’s solar system, Master Vile had turned back time on Earth, transforming the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers into children, Zordon had called the Alien Rangers’ help to defend the Earth.  True to their character, Delpine, Cestro, Tideus, Aurico, and Corcus had come to Earth’s defense despite the danger.  For several days, they defended the earth until it was returned to its normal time by the reunified Zeo Crystal.

“No, it is not time to assemble an army yet,” Sean replied.  “For the time being, they must remain on Aquitar.  Tell Delpine I may contact her within a few days.”

“I shall,” Cestria said.  “I am certain she would help in anyway.  Come back soon, Billy.”

“I will,” Billy said.  “Good bye, Cestria.”  He kissed his wife.  “I love you,” and the two embraced one another again.

“I love you too,” Cestria said and the emotion was clear in her voice and also in how she clung to him.  “Be safe, Billy.”

With a look of deepest regret, Billy pulled away, walking over to Sean.  Billy stared at his family with clawed hands squeezing and tearing the insides of his chest.  He longed to stay.

“Are you sure you want to leave now?” Sean asked.

“It would be harder if I stayed,” Billy said.

“Then follow me,” Sean said.

With an effort, Billy straightened up and the two of them teleported to Earth as blue and green column-like streaks.  Hopefully, no one would see them depart from Aquitar.

 

* * *

 

Unfortunately, someone did.

Faint and transparent, a round edged beam in the shape of a wide “V” phased through the roof and each internal wall of Billy’s house until it reached the ceiling of the living room.  Neither Billy nor Sean saw it as they headed to Earth, even though their trajectory was slightly parallel to it.  Yet the beam did not originate from Earth, but from the Moon.

Standing tall on the Moon’s lighted surface was a grayish blue castle composed of a wide rectangular tower and a smaller cylindrical tower that was joined to the right side of the taller tower.  Faces and figures of menacing gargoyles and demons punctured the outer shell of the castle, ready to strike at any attackers.  A balcony was positioned two thirds of the way up the rectangular tower.

The red beam pulsated with energy from within the vast foggy chamber within the balcony.  In the middle of the chamber was a throne that stood upon a single step smooth dais.  A reddish, muscular humanoid alien with its skin ripped off sat upon the throne.  A mask of silver/white metal with a crimson glass visor veiled his face.  Metallic claws covered and extended from his fingertips.  The same metal covered is skin like a skeletal armor.

Lord Zedd, self-proclaimed “Emperor of all he sees” aimed his supervision toward Aquitar.  Sean and Billy departed from the planet.  He followed there course, ceasing once Sean and Billy entered the solar system.  The passed his vision upon approaching the earth.  Underneath his mask, Lord Zedd smiled.

“Welcome home, Billy,” Lord Zedd said encouragingly.  “Rest assured this will not be like last time.”

 

 

* * *

 

Whether seen or not, Sean and Billy landed on the vacant rocky summit of a mountain overlooking Angel Grove.  Climbing sunlight spilled over the mountain range, illuminating the gloom.

Upon rematerializing, Billy crouched over, coughing furiously finally collapsing to his knees.  With pollution hardly existing on Aquitar, Billy gasped repeatedly.  Tears leaked from his eyes.  Itching irritated the back of his mouth and throat.

Sean eyed him.  The coughing subsiding, Billy stood up.  His throat still itched.

“Good thing we got here early,” Billy said.  “Of course.  I thought the smog would have improved.”

“Somewhat.” Sean replied.  Not every planet was as pollutant-free as Aquitar.  “How do you feel?” Sean asked.

“A little overwhelmed,” Billy said, taking in the whole scenery before him.  A mixture of quarry and forests patterned the mountainous landscape.  “I never thought I would see this place again.”  His breath came in deep pants.  It would take a long time before he would become used to the atmosphere again.  “What’s the date?”  Billy asked; too bewildered by the sight of Earth to think.

“Thursday September 9, 2005,” Sean said.  “I wish you were here by a different choice.  But there is no other way.”

“Affirmative,” Billy answered.  The answer sounded cold and empty to him.  “I’ll have the others meet at Rocky and Adam’s Academy after they close.  Where did you say it was at again?”

“Beside the Surf Spot, where the old Youth Center used to be,” Sean replied.  “Go to his house and stay there.  I’ll meet you at the Academy at closing time, but watch yourself.  Assassins could be trailing the others also.”

“I thought you said we couldn’t be attacked yet?” asked Billy.

“I don’t trust Zedd and Rita,” Sean snarled, covertly stretching out his senses.  “However, I _do_ trust their leader.  All the same, be careful.”  _Zedd knows we are here,_ he added, masking his thoughts.

“I will,” Billy said, stepping toward Angel Grove.  “This is going to kill Trini.  And possibly everyone else.” Having discussed this with Sean before, he did not wait for a response.  Taking a deep breath, he then blew it out.  Dematerializing, he teleported to Tommy’s house.

As soon as he was gone, Sean jerked his head to the right, sensing a presence nearby in that direction.  “Never a moment’s rest,” he said, instantly morphing into his Green Ranger outfit.

 

* * *

 

Twenty-seven miles south of Sean, Billy materialized outside the front door of a one story, bluish gray painted, wooden house.  Droplets of sweat collecting about his palms, his fingers quivered.  Staring ahead at the brass knocker, Billy breathed through his anxiety, incorporating one of many calming techniques Sean had taught him.

_Strange to finally be doing this,_ he thought.

His heartbeat now steady, Billy grasped the knocker and knocked four times.

_“One second,”_ Tommy called from the other side.

Billy smirked at the voice he had not heard in eight years.

The door handle turned.  “Sorry about the delay,” Tommy said politely chuckling and swinging the door backward.

“It’s alright,” Billy replied, laughter tumbling out of his mouth despite his previous calm.

Tommy looked up, his now spiky, two inch long hair carving through the air.  Eyeing Billy, he gaped, and then gasped.

Shock dumbed their tongues, though their arms and legs trembled.  Instead of moving they kept staring at each other, surveying their differences.

“You look like a porcupine,” Billy remarked, thinking of chiding Sean in person for leaving out this bit of information.  _You and your ways, Sean,_ he thought.

“Careful; I may use these on you,” Tommy said, pointing to his spikey hair.  Tilting his head to the side, Tommy shook it, a grin spreading across his face.  Placing his briefcase down on the porch, he pulled Billy into an embrace.  “I got tired of tying it up,” he said.

“Logical.”

“Listen, I’d like to catch up but I have classes to teach.”

“Not every day a visitor teleports in from another planet?” Billy supplied.

“Something like that.  Tell you what.  Make yourself comfortable and we’ll talk when I get back.  Should be a little after four.”

“Mind if we include a guest list?”

“No.  Got some people in mind?”

“Drawn from the same list you probably have.”

Tommy chuckled.  “A ranger reunion.  We haven’t had one in months—over two years actually.  Hey, why don’t you come with me and we’ll set it up?”

“Is that allowed?”

Tommy reached into his pocking, digging out his cell phone.  “Give me a sec.  Would you like to observe?”

Billy nodded, contrasting the differences of Tommy elliptical, flipping cellphone to the larger ones Billy remembered from 1997.

Tommy made a call.  After a few seconds, he tapped a few more buttons.

“Principal Randall?  This is Tommy Oliver.  No, there’s no problem.  I just wanted to know if I could bring in a guest to my classes today to observe—possibly guest lecture.”  Tommy raised his eyebrows at Billy, mouthing, “high school paleontology?”

Billy shrugged.  “Sure.”

“Of course; he’s exemplarily qualified,” Tommy added.  “I understand.  Thank you.”  He hung up.  “We’re good.”

“Sure I’m qualified after being gone for so long?”

“Billy, you’re smarter than anyone I’ve met—and that includes my Ph. D professors.  You’ll be okay.”

Billy shrugged, cracking a grin.  “I look forward to it.”

Unzipping his bag, Tommy withdrew a textbook.  “See what you remember.” He tossed it over.


	3. Reunions and Sorrows

Less than two hours before dusk that day, Rocky DeSantos and Adam Park stood side by side at the front of their academy’s training room, observing their thirty two red belt students performing their katas in unison.

Rocky’s hair was slightly longer than it had been when he first moved to Angel Grove and he had a nice thick light brown goatee that framed his jaw and mouth well.  Adam had cut his hair back to what it was during high school which suited him very well.

The fifteen foot tall room was designed to be more of a ninja training area than a traditional martial arts training room.  Ropes hung from the ceiling near the wall opposite for Rocky and Adam.  To their left, all of their belt ranks (a bare bolt for those without rank, white, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, brown, and black,) hung on the wall above a locked glass cabinet display of a collection of ninja and samurai weapons.

Originally, Rocky was going to open his own Martial Art’s studio right after high school.  However after he graduated, he discovered that he wanted to teach the martial arts the way they were taught centuries ago—with tradition, honor, and exercise.  However he ran into problems.

Interested by the idea of going into business with Rocky, Adam dropped his job as a stuntman.  Though being a stuntman had been wonderful and he had been superb at it, he had wanted to work in a more meaningful and fulfilling vocation.

The two of them enrolled into the same college and double majored in business and history.  They graduated from college and their studio has been open for the last four years.  From the start, their business had been a booming success.  More people became members each year.  Plus, their staff was fantastic.

Both of them taught Martial Arts and how to use weapons with various teaching styles.  While most instructors taught only the moves and techniques, Adam and Rocky’s lessons incorporated physical fitness and the pushing of one’s endurance.  Due to countless weeks of research, they had constructed lessons that were similar—if not exact—to exercises that were done centuries ago.  As a result, their lessons were tough and scared away some potential students.  Yet those who stayed as students benefited in more ways than one.  Indeed some students asked if they could work as instructors.  Rocky and Adam had accepted them gladly.

“Feet together, hands at your sides,” Adam commanded once their students had finished.  “Excellent work today, all of you.  We look forward to seeing how all of you do on Saturday’s Advancement Testing.”

“Please remember that classes are cancelled tomorrow and Monday,” Rocky said.  “Good luck to all of you on Saturday.”  Rocky and Adam bowed at their students, signaling the end of the two hour class.  They lingered in the lobby as the students and staff departed.

“Rocky, can you toss me a water bottle?” Adam asked as he got a small black duffle bag from out of the office.  Rocky did so and Adam took a few sips.

“It still surprises me how many people we have for lessons,” Rocky said as he went to the door and put the closed sign up.  “We aren’t exactly easy.”

“They come because they want to,” Adam said after taking a sip of water.  “When did Tommy say he and the others were dropping by?”

“I think he said 7:30,” replied Rocky, checking the lobby clock.  “That’s less than five minutes from now.  I can’t wait to see all of them again.  It’s been too long since we did anything together.”

“That’s for sure,” Adam said.  “And it’s great that Trini’s coming.  She’s been worrying herself sick since Jason disappeared.”

“Yeah,” answered Rocky.  “Still, I wonder why we had to bring our old morphers.  It’s not like they can do anything.”

He was referring to the morphers that had been cracked and charred when the Command Center had exploded.  Nowadays, the former Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers regarded them as mementos.

“Who knows,” Adam said, gazing at his charred and scratched morpher.  As he stared at it, he remembered the last time he had used it.  A little more than two years after the power coins were destroyed, he had used his morpher to become the original black Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger to save the life of his ranger successor—Carlos, the black Space Ranger—from one of Astronema’s monsters.  Adam had almost paid the price with his life by morphing at that time for he had been warned that morphing without a power coin could destroy him.  In taking the risk, he had inspired confidence back into Carlos.

However, when Adam had learned that Jason had morphed when red rangers from ten different ranger teams teamed up to fight remnants of the Machine Empire on the moon, Adam was surprised to hear that Jason’s morph was stable.  Even now, it made no sense to Adam but he did not want to think about that now.

They did not wait long.  Through the wall long window in the lobby, Rocky and Adam saw a three vehicle caravan, pull into the parking lot.  Tommy’s black Jeep was in the lead, followed by Kimberly’s 2005 olive green Taurus sedan, and Zack’s metallic blue 2003 Ford Contour.  To Rocky and Adam’s surprise, they saw Billy riding in the passenger seat of Tommy’s jeep!  At the sight of him, they rushed out to meet him as everyone else parked.

“Have you heard anything from Jason?” Zack asked Trini, walking beside her and Kimberly.

“No,” Trini said, gazing at her silver wedding ring.  For some reason, the diamond refused to sparkle even though the sun shined brightly upon it.  “It’s been a week now and Jason still hasn’t called me.  It’s not like him to do this.”

Zack rubbed her back with his hand.  “You contacted his students’ parents, all your friends.  You filed the missing-persons report,” he said.  “Now we just have to wait.”

“I’m tired of waiting, Zack,” Trini said, a bite of anger in her voice.  “I know something’s wrong.”

Zack dipped his head to her ear, whispering, “We’ll know something soon.”

Meanwhile, Rocky held Billy in a tight embrace.  “It’s about time you came back for a vacation!” Rocky exclaimed after releasing him.  “We thought you left us!” he added as a joke.

“Well, it would’ve been hard to leave considering I am a dad now,” Billy replied, flashing an enthusiastic smile.

“What?” Rocky asked, hardly able to talk out of sheer excitement.  “You and Cestria?”

“Billy, that’s fantastic!” Adam chimed in, giving Billy a warm hug.

“When … how did you get here?” Zack asked, joining the party.

“I teleported to Earth earlier this morning,” Billy responded, filled with ecstasy at seeing his old friends.  He briefly glanced at the red and black logo on the front door of the thirty foot tall building.  The words, “Park and DeSantos Academy,” enclosed the silhouette of a samurai raising a katana in a ring.  It reminded Billy of Sean.  Taking a few casual glances around, Billy checked to see if Sean had just teleported in.  To his dismay, Sean was nowhere in sight.  Calmly, Billy masked his worry with the joy of seeing his high school friends again.  “Your place looks awesome,” he added.

“Thanks,” Adam chuckled.

At that moment, Trini and Kimberly walked up to Billy.  “Hey, stranger,” Kimberly said.  “Next time you move to another planet, don’t leave without saying good-bye.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Billy said, still smiling.

Kimberly made a mock stern face.  “I accept your apology.”  Bursting into giggles she wrapped her arms around him.

“It’s good to see you again, Billy,” Trini said, trying to sound happy

Billy saw her suffering and knew that he could not waste any more time delaying.  Catching up with his friends’ lives would have to wait.

“So why didn’t you come by earlier today?” Adam asked, still smiling.

Billy turned to Adam, stripping away his happiness.  “Because I needed to see all of you at the same time,” he said.  He glanced back at Trini.  “I came back to tell you guys why Jason has been gone for a week.  But let’s go inside first.  It’s not for others to hear.”

* * *

 

As Rocky and Adam were leading the others to their lobby, Sean crouched in a low guard stance with a green katana in his hands, waiting for Goldar and Scorpina to attack.  Had this been any other time, Sean would have been fine with crossing blades with the golden dual but he was late in getting to Rocky and Adam’s Academy.  All of the invited rangers should have arrived by now.  _Yes,_ he thought as he stretched his senses over to the Academy while maintaining eye contact with Goldar and Scorpina.  _They are right on schedule._

Suddenly Goldar and Scorpina charged with swords raised high.  Deciding to humor them, Sean allowed them to attack but caught their swords with his own.

“Do you two mind doing this another time?” Sean asked, holding them back easily.

“Why?” Scorpina snickered.

“Are we keeping you from something?” Goldar asked mockingly.

“As a matter of fact, you are,” Sean said.  With a circular strike, he sent Goldar and Scorpina’s swords out of their hands and slashed their chests, causing them to fall backwards.  _That was too easy,_ he thought.

Suddenly a message screamed in his mind.  The others were in trouble.  Yet before he moved, multiple bolts of bluish lightning struck the area in the direction of Park and DeSantos’ Academy.  Judging from the time of day and the position of the lightning, Sean knew that it had come from the moon.

Sean stretched his senses toward the Academy.  After all of his hard work of protecting the former rangers for all of their lives, they could not be dead.

He forced himself to remain calm.  If the former rangers were dead, he would have sensed it.  Nevertheless there was something wrong with them.  Yet something was shielding his senses.  It was imperative that he get there.

As Goldar and Scorpina began to advance on Sean, he leaped high over their heads, kicked them both to the ground.  He was about to teleport way when he was hit in the back of his shield with an energy blast.  Since his shield’s reflecting ability wasn’t activated, Sean was hit by the full force of the blast but it wasn’t strong enough to cause him any damage.  He turned around to see who had blasted him.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Scorpina told him with her armor covered arm extended as she got to her feet.

“That’s what you think,” Sean said.  And before Scorpina stood, Sean teleported to the back of Rocky and Adam’s studio as a green streak.

Scorpina turned toward her brother.  “It’s started,” she said happily.

“We better get back,” Goldar said.  “I don’t want to miss this.”

“Nor do I,” said Scorpina with relish.  They disappeared in flashes of yellow and orange flame.


	4. The Truth Comes Out

Billy could not have predicted how his friends handled his news any more accurately.  They had piled into the lobby to avoid any eavesdropping.  As soon as Billy had told them about Jason, they were beyond shocked.

“That’s impossible,” Tommy said, shaking his head as he slumped into a cushioned chair.  His stomach weighed 1,000 pounds.  “How … why … when?”

Across the room, Trini sank into the interior lobby window with Kimberly by her side, holding her hand.  Kimberly wanted to say something but no words came to her.  A dagger plunged deeper into Trini’s heart.  For a moment, she wondered if she was alive or dead.  “I can’t believe that,” she whispered under her breath.  No one else heard her.

“I know this is hard to except, but it is true,” Billy consoled, gazing at each of them in turn.

“He and I are like brothers,” Tommy said, staring into the floor.  “I never expected he would do something like this.”

“I wish I could say something that would help,” Billy said, “But I can’t.”

Adam, who had remained at the front door, moved his gaze from Tommy to Trini.  Of all of them, those two were taking the brunt of it.  It made sense.  Trini was Jason’s husband while Tommy had been Jason’s best friend ever since Tommy had moved to Angel Grove.  Though it could have been a trick of the eye, Adam noticed Tommy’s hand twitch momentarily.  Plus, Tommy started looking a little lightheaded.

“I need some air,” Tommy breathed, standing up.  “Where is the backdoor?” he asked Rocky.

Adam straightened.  _Why not just go out the front door?_

“This way,” Rocky croaked, holding himself up as well as he could.  He and Adam led the way up the hallway.  Zack went to Trini, brushing her arm and guided her to the rest of the group.  They made a left turn and then a right turn down the light beige hallway, passing several locker rooms—Tommy increasing his pace with each stride.

Throughout the “walk,” Adam kept an eye on Tommy.  _This is not like Tommy; I’ve never seen him like this._   Yet he voiced none of his opinions to the others.

At the end of the hallway was the exit.  Tommy slammed it open, striding into the abandoned alley, his breath coming in hard gasps.

“Tommy, are you alright?” Rocky asked, taking a few steps towards him but Adam grasped Rocky’s shoulder.  Rocky turned.

“Wait,” Adam whispered, caution and suspicion etched into his face.

At once, Tommy halted with his breath calm.  He straightened his back, keeping it turned on the others.

“What’s the matter?” Billy said, moving towards him, reaching out his hand.

Tommy spun around, clasping a hand around Billy’s neck.  “You are,” he snarled with livid eyes.

Caught by surprise, Billy struggled to release Tommy’s grip but it was too strong.  “Tommy … stop…” he gasped.  No other plea escaped his mouth.

“Tommy, stop!” Zack shouted as he, Rocky, and Adam rushed forward.  At once, bolts of white lightning hit them and Trini, freezing them in place as if they were mannequins.

Seeing this, Tommy intensified his grip.  “What did you do?” he growled, tightening his hand around Billy’s throat—crushing Billy’s windpipe.

Billy could not answer.  He could no longer gasp.  Billy opened his mouth, desperate for air, yet none descended into his lungs.  He punched, scratched, pushed and tore at Tommy’s hand.  His face was purple.  There was one last chance to free himself.  He concentrated with all of his might, looking Tommy in the face.  _I must…have…_ air!

At once, Tommy was shoved backward, as if he had been hit by a blizzard gust.  His fingers loosened.  Billy coughed, swallowed a mouthful of air, and exhaled.  But before he could inhale again, Tommy’s hands clasped Billy’s throat once more with greater strength than before.  In a rage, Tommy slammed Billy backwards onto the pavement.

“How did you do that?” Tommy demanded.

As like before, Billy could not speak.  His face began turning purple under the pressure of Tommy’s hands.  The strength in Billy’s hands faded.  His vision darkened as his eyes began rolling into his sockets.

“Release him, now!” Sean commanded from behind.

Tommy turned around.  At the sight of Sean, his eyes opened in surprise.  Yet he still kept his hand clenched around Billy’s throat.

“Where did you get that costume?” Tommy asked in surprise.

“I said, ‘release him’!” Sean replied, removing the dragon dagger from its harness.  Taking aim, he fired a thin electrical burst from its tip at Tommy, hurling him backwards and releasing Billy.

Gasping and coughing, Billy collapsed.  “Thank you, Sean,” he panted.

Sean nodded as the golden outline of a strange bird that was a cross between a swan and an eagle emerged from his body while giving a melodious cry.  It vaporized instantly after his suit disappeared in a shimmering green flash.  He crept towards Tommy.

“Is he alright?” Billy asked, getting to his feet while gingerly rubbing his neck.  Two red handprints engraved in his skin.

“I only stunned him,” Sean answered nearing Tommy’s feet.

Tommy opened his eyes and scrambled to his feet, panting with panic sprawled over his face.  “The two of you are allies in this!” he asked.

“Allies in what?” Billy asked, limping to Sean’s side.

“His mind is being controlled,” Sean said, eying Tommy unblinkingly.

“No, it is not!” Tommy yelled, executing a spinning hook kick at Sean.  Strangely, before he could make contact with Sean, he was thrown backwards, as if he had just been hit by a battering ram.  Tommy shook his head like a dog.  Had he just been thrown?  _But he never touched me,_ he thought.

“I did not do anything, Tommy,” Sean said calmly, holding his hands at his side.

“I did,” Billy said in a raspy voice.

“Traitor!”  Tommy snarled, advancing towards Billy.  “You’re going to pay for what you did to them.”  He gestured at the other former rangers.

“We didn’t do this,” Billy said, massaging his neck.  “Rita and Zedd did it.”

“You’re lying!” Tommy said, the madness returning once more.  “Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa don’t exist _anymore!_ ”

“Can you restrain him, Billy?” Sean asked, keeping his focus on Tommy.

Still panting, Billy nodded.  It was hard for him to talk.  Tilting his head, he telekinetically lifted Tommy and pinned him onto the wall of the Academy in midair with incredible speed and force.

“You have to listen to us,” Billy pleaded.

“Why should I?” Tommy snapped.

“If you don’t listen to us, we will die, and the universe will be conquered,” Billy answered.

“By you,” Tommy replied.

“Whether you like it or not, you are going to listen to us,” Sean said, taking a few steps forward.

Billy nodded in agreement, while still keeping Tommy in the air.

Sean reached out with his mind to punch through the confusion that swelled within Tommy.  As he suspected, the influence was impenetrable.

 _Time for a new approach,_ Sean thought.  “Let go of your rage, Tommy,” he persuaded.  “This is not who you are.  Power Rangers do not seek vengeance.”

“You’re one to speak,” Tommy scowled at Sean.

“There is no such thing as an evil Power Ranger,” Sean said.  “You above all should know that.  The only reason you stole the Sword of Power was because you were under Lord Zedd’s control.  Think about when Billy was under the Dramole’s spell.  Think of Katherine.”

As he spoke, Sean sensed Tommy struggle against the influence over his mind.  They were breaking through!

“Sean and I need you, Tommy,” Billy asked.  “Come back, please.”

After a little while, something in Tommy’s brain was starting to click but that wasn’t all.  Something deep within Tommy was fighting to the surface.

Pain gripped his inner core.  He shuddered and groaned as an inner white light, like a star, blazed through his skin and he let out a yell.  Tommy’s body hung limp in midair.

“What was that?” Billy asked, completely flabbergasted.  Loosening his hold on Tommy but not releasing him, he darted his gaze on Sean.  “Did you cause that?”

“No,” Sean replied, surprise marking his face.  “That was him completely.  Let him down.”

“What was controlling his mind?” Billy asked as he lowered Tommy to the ground but the look of momentary anger on Sean’s face told him who it was.

A second later, the anger was gone, replaced by compassion as he knelt before Tommy.

The veteran ranger started coming around; however it was hard to keep his focus.  Remorse filled him.  “What have I done?”  Tommy asked.  “I had no right to attack you.”

“You had no control over yourself,” Sean said compassionately.  “It wasn’t your fault.  Billy, would you go check on the others?  Rita and Zedd put them in some kind of limbo.”  Sean helped Tommy up and they headed to the others.

“How are they, Billy?” Sean asked.

“They’re coming around,” Billy said.

Throughout the argument, the others had been still as statues but as soon as Tommy recovered, they began to stir with confused looks on their faces.

“That was weird,” Kimberly said.

“I know what you mean,” Adam said.  “We couldn’t move.”

“I’m glad to see you guys are better,” Billy said to them all.

“I thought you were holding us,” Zack said.

“I’m not that powerful,” Billy commented with a smile.  “Besides, even if I could, why would I?  You’re my friends.”

“You have definitely improved a lot since you discovered your telekinetic power,” Sean said as he and Tommy approached Billy.

Kimberly had to blink when she saw Sean’s face.  Call it woman’s intuition but there was something about that scar and Sean’s eyes that held her concern.

On the other hand, Trini thought Sean was handsome and she admired his scar.  There was something familiar about Sean’s face that she couldn’t quite place.  Perhaps Jason would recognize him.  She lowered her head a little as she wondered where her husband was.  Shaking it off, she focused on what everyone else was discussing.  She had worried for long enough, and it was time for some answers.

“Not that this is fascinating,” Tommy began, “But can be get back to business?”  He turned to Sean.  “Such as who you are?”

“My name is Sean,” Sean answered.  “I am the Green Ninjetti Ranger, a lifelong friend to Zordon, and am honored to meet you.”  He stretched out his hand for Tommy to shake and Tommy did.  “Dulcea never mentioned me while you were on Phaedos?”

The former rangers (aside from Billy) stood at amazement.  As Sean shook each of their hands, they had trouble finding their voices.  Standing before them was a real Ninjetti ranger.

“You knew Zordon and Dulcea?”  Kimberly asked when she shook Sean’s hand.

“They never said anything about a new ranger,” Zack said.

“Of course I knew Zordon and Dulcea,” Sean replied.  “I have known them all my life.  And actually, I have been a Ranger longer before you became one, Zack.”

“Why didn’t you show yourself when we became Rangers?” Trini asked.

“It wasn’t my time to introduce myself,” Sean said. “Besides, back then, I was not allowed to help any of you in any of your ranger battles.  However, I think you have more things to worry about then my past.”

“Like what?” Adam asked.

“Like the fact that one of your friends and a former ranger chose to become evil,” Sean suggested, “Or the fact that I was just fighting Goldar and Scorpina?”

“So that’s why you were late,” Billy said and Sean nodded again.

“Did you just say you were being held up by Goldar and Scorpina?” Tommy asked.

“Yes, I did,” Sean answered.

“Who brought them back?” Tommy asked.  “I thought they were dead.”

“The same person you and Billy were discussing before I arrived,” Sean answered.

Tommy looked as if he had been hit in the gut by a bag of bricks.  “It can’t be,” Tommy said, shaking his head in horror.  “… How…?”  Speaking was difficult.

“Accept it, Tommy, even though it is difficult,” Sean said, looking him in the eye.  “Jason chose to become evil.”

Trini’s eyes widened as she grasped her trembling heart with a hand, no sound escaping from her mouth.  Surely she had misheard what Sean had said.


	5. Sean's Tale

Goldar and Scorpina materialized beside the white faced, dog-like Finster between the balcony and Zedd’s dais as orange flames, facing Rita and Zedd, who were standing on the balcony.

Voluminous double braided hair stretched out in opposing diagonal upward angles from Rita Repulsa’s leather rapped head, wrapped in leather brown cloth.  Gold embroidery curled across her peach colored dress.  Synthetic white feathers trailed down the back of her dress from her hip.  Above them a wide collar of horizontal triangular dark blue spikes draped over her shoulders.  Black breast covers stabbed through the air in contrast, giving her a beautiful but formidable appearance.  Lord Zedd took no notice of her.

“Excellent work!”  Zedd exclaimed.

“You could have kept Sean busy for a little longer though!” Rita said.

“Really, Rita?” asked a calm male human voice from far behind Zedd’s throne.

Everyone looked in the voice’s direction at the back of the Chamber.  Shrouded in darkness, a hooded and cloaked individual, with the figure of a bodybuilder or wrestler stood by the foot wide, terra cotta colored column adjacent to the metallic wall with Zedd’s spinning fan.  Underneath his black cloak, the figure wore a couple layers of casual black robes that had a hint of authority to them, embroidered with Japanese and alien designs.  After a pause, he walked in, his cloak swaying through the fog covering the floor.

Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, Goldar, Scorpina, and Finster bowed without hesitation.

“After two weeks of being hunted, Sean would have been suspicious if Goldar and Scorpina hadn’t tailed him today,” continued the figure as though he was giving a status report.  There was no cockiness in his voice.  “You did well,” he added to Goldar and Scorpina.

He lifted his head and the face of Jason Lee Scott, the first red Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger and temporary Gold Ranger, looked at Zedd and Rita with eyes that did not flash or glow and had no abnormal tint to them.  To all appearances, he looked human.

“We’ll give them a little more time and then I’ll make an entrance,” Jason said.  “Sean won’t expect me to show up so soon.  Plus, we can’t attack the others yet until Sean and Billy have performed their part.”

* * *

Meanwhile, the former rangers were still engulfed in a haze of confusion and shock.  Billy’s display of telekinesis had driven the fact that Jason was evil out of their minds.

“I’m having trouble believing it,” Zack said.  “How could we not have known?”

“How well did you know Jason before and during the time he was a power ranger?” Sean asked which took them aback.

Zack and Kimberly glared at Sean with resentment.  The thought of a stranger telling them about a lifelong friend was insulting to them.

Billy held his silence, too uncomfortable to talk.  Yet he was glad that he no longer needed to keep the secret about Jason to himself.  It had torn him apart with agony.

“And how well do you know him now?” Sean continued, ignoring the glares and unspoken objections and resentments.  _Better to get the anger out now than later,_ he thought.  “A better question would be:  How well did Jason know himself then?”

“Excuse me?” Rocky asked.

“He never knew that it was his fate to become evil,” Sean answered, picking up the skeptical thoughts buzzing within the others’ minds.  “It makes you wonder why Zordon made him leader of the power rangers and become the Gold Ranger when I told him about the evil inside him.”

“What are you talking about?” Trini asked as though she was listening to a person who was high off cocaine.  She had heard everything about the Zeo Rangers’ struggle with the Machine Empire from Tommy so she was on the same playing field as the rest of her friends were and had never heard of anything like this before.  “Everyone has Good and Evil within them.”  _This is a scam,_ she thought to herself.  _It makes no sense._

Sean turned his gaze onto her.  _Make such judgments after you have all of the information,_ Sean said to her with his thoughts, freezing Trini to the spot.  He continued verbally.  “Twenty-five years ago, Zordon detected a fluctuating evil.  He summoned me to ascertain what was causing it because neither he nor Alpha 5 could pinpoint it.  I traced the source to a hospital here in Angel Grove.  I soon discovered that it was coming from a newly born human baby.  Evil was not the only thing I sensed.  There was huge amount of power within the child.  I realized that his evil and the powers inside of him were dormant but could be released someday.

“After my discovery, I returned to the Command Center to inform Zordon what I had found and demanded that he allow me to watch over the child as a guardian.  Zordon forbade me to remove Jason from his parents but he allowed me to keep an eye on him.  I obeyed.

“When I found out that Zordon had chosen to make Jason the Red Ranger and the leader, I objected strongly; but Zordon told me there was no one else to use and that you were a team already.”

“When did you talk to Zordon about that?” Zack cut in.  “We didn’t see you there!”

“Zordon and I were discussing it while you were teleporting to the Command Center,” replied Sean.  “That was why he was late in greeting you when you arrived.  He told me to stay hidden as we would not be working together.  When his powers were transferred to Rocky, I was thoroughly pleased.  I felt as long as Jason had power, his evil would awaken and grow.  Unfortunately, it didn’t matter whether he had power or not.”

“If you were worried about Jason having powers, why didn’t you show up when I brought Jason back so he could become the Gold Ranger?” Tommy asked interrogatively before Sean could continue.

“He did,” Billy answered and he told them about the time he had met Sean.

“Zordon should have told us!” Rocky said strongly after Billy had finished.

“No, he shouldn’t have,” said Adam.

“I agree,” Tommy add.  “I understand why Zordon didn’t tell us.  He was trying to prevent a galactic war.”

Sean nodded.  “If Jason had known what he was to become then Dark Specter’s armies would have been looking for him endlessly.  He was safe as long as no one knew.  Unfortunately, that all changed when he was on Muiranthius.  Due to Maligore’s influence on his soul, Jason’s evil began to grow even after Lerigot and his wife, Yara, had turned him good.”

Tommy shook his head with nostalgic frustration.  “We should have left sooner,” he said.  Tommy was referring to the ranger’s spending time to build the new Turbo Zords before they went after Divatox.

“You left as soon as you were able to,” Sean consoled.  “Complete preparation was crucial to a mission like that.  I would have come with you, but I was detained on another planet.”

“So, Jason has turned evil,” Trini surmised with the air of trying to make the situation look better than it was.  “We handled Tommy when he was under Rita’s control; so we can handle Jason.”

“This is completely different, Trini,” Billy said to her.

“How?” Trini asked.

“When we fought against Tommy,” Billy began, “He was under a spell.  Unlike Tommy, Jason isn’t under a spell.  But he is more powerful than any other evil being we have previously encountered.”

“What can he do?” Kimberly asked.

“Much,” Sean said.  “And there is also the fact that when Jason was turned evil by Maligore, he was planted with Maligore’s powers.”

“You have got to be kidding!” Adam exclaimed, his face stretching and widening.  Down his backbone, hairs sprang up.  One slash from Maligore’s claws had almost crushed Adam’s chest while he was morphed.  He quivered.

“I am not,” Sean replied, penetrating Adam’s eyes with his gaze.

Adam gulped.

Rocky glanced at Adam.  “You’re better than you were then,” he whispered.

Adam nodded, his breath shaky.  “I know.”

“How much?” Tommy asked Sean.

“I believe all,” Sean stated.  “But Jason is not a fusion of Maligore and Dark Specter.”

“What craziness is this?” Kimberly asked.

Sean turned, looking at Kimberly.  “When Divatox lowered the two of you into the pit, you became more than simply evil.”

“Yes,” she whispered.  “It was like I was something else.”

“ You were reborn.  But while Lerigot’s and Yara’s cleansing restored your humanity, Jason was forever changed that day.”

He paused, allowing the rangers to absorb what he had said.

“How can a human contain that much power?” Tommy finally asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sean answered, turning to Tommy.  “I have no idea.  However, I know for a fact that Rita and Zedd take orders from him.”

“Those two must have hated to take orders from an ex-power ranger,” Rocky said with a laugh.  Adam managed a breathy laugh but his fear remained in betted in his eyes.

“They hated it alright,” Sean said taking a few steps past Tommy.  “Though they found out the hard way why you don’t challenge a Monarch of Evil.”  Immediately, a hand clasped on top of Sean’s shoulder and whirled him around.

“What did you just call Jason?” Tommy demanded, scanning Sean’s face for some detection of a lie with wide open eyes.  To his dissatisfaction he found none.

“I’m sorry,” Sean said.  “I thought that Billy had told you already.”  He took a deep breath before continuing.  “Approximately a few months before Dark Specter died, he appeared before Jason and asked him to become his heir.  Jason agreed voluntarily.”

“Did Dark Specter threaten Jason with anything?” Tommy asked, hoping against hope that the answer was different than what he thought.

“No,” Sean answered, regret in his voice.  “I was there.  Jason said ‘yes’ all on his own.”

Complete silence followed these words.  All of them knew that no one in the entire universe would ever lie to them about this.  Still all of them made eye contact with Billy, silently begging for confirmation to the contrary.  Billy met their eyes, his face full of regret and sorrow.  Unable to speak, he shook his head, confirming their fears.

The color drained out of Tommy’s face.  Grabbing his stomach, he dashed over to a nearby dumpster that was to the right of the Academy’s door, hunched over, and threw up.  Kimberly’s heart skipped a beat.  Zack tossed his head from side to side, mouthing words of confusion and denial.  For a handful of moments, no one spoke.  Panting, Trini lifted her left hand – her wedding ring almost a blur as she stared at it.  Her eyes grew heavy.  The man she had married had been a lie.  And as she thought this a weight of sorrow and grief crushed the last of the miniscule happiness and hope within her as talons dug trenches in her heart.  Her eyes grew heavy as she sought words for her pain.

“How could you keep this from us?” Kimberly finally asked Billy.

Billy turned.  He stared into her eyes.  “With great difficulty,” he replied, his expression unchanged.

“I understand that this is a grievous blow to you all,” Sean said, “But the more all of you know, the more in danger you are in.  It would be best to prepare for it.”

“And what would you like us to do?” Kimberly snapped.  “We have no powers!”

“Yes, you do.” Sean corrected her.  “Hasn’t Billy’s display of telekinesis shown you that?  You’ve had powers inside of you since you were born.”

All of them stared at Sean as if he had just grown hair everywhere.

Sean stretched out his hands.  At once, two blinding flashes of light expanded from them.  From his left hand, came a green light and from his right hand, came a golden light, both of which solidified into two swords.  One was the green katana he had used against Goldar and Scorpina and the other was a long golden broadsword with green and red jewels embedded within the blade.

The former rangers stared in amazement for they had seen that sword once before.  If it hadn’t been for that sword, Rocky and Adam would never have become power rangers – The Sword of Light.

Sean indicated the katana.  “This is the Sword of the Phoenix,” he said.  “With these swords, I can transform all of you into Power Rangers once more.”

An unsealed pouch materialized in a flash of flame on the ground in front of him.  Inside it was a mound of familiar golden dust.

Tommy gaped.  “Those are the remains of our power coins!” he exclaimed.  His friends gasped.  As far as they knew, Rita and Zedd had reduced them to dust.

“Uh, Sean, aren’t our coins a little useless?” Rocky asked.

“As dust— yes,” Sean said, getting to his knees.  He laid the Sword of Light in front of him.  “Zack, may I have your power coin?”

“I don’t have my power coin or morpher anymore,” Zack said, perplexed at the question.  “I gave them to Adam after my powers were transferred.”

“I’ve got yours right here,” said Adam, handing them to Zack.

Zack brushed his fingers over the face of the morpher, thinking of the battles Adam must have endured as its owner.

“Zack?”

The former Mastodon ranger shook himself out of his thoughts.  “I don’t see how my coin could help,” Zack said.  “The Mastodon coin was from a different team.”

“I know, but don’t worry about that,” Sean said, holding out his hand.  “May I have it?”

Zack cocked his head to the side like a dog with a quizzical look on his face, staring at Sean.  Billy stifled a laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Zack asked.

“You remind me of my wife,” Billy replied with a grin.  “Go ahead and give it to him.”

Still baffled, Zack handed the coin to Sean.

Sean held the coin at eye level with his hand open.  He closed his eyes and nodded his head.  At once, tiny green energy discharges crackled around and on top of it, slowly intensifying.  At once, Adam was on to him.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

In response, the coin disintegrated.  Opening his eyes, Sean sprinkled the dust into the pouch while ignoring the shocked looks on the other’s faces.  Hovering over the Sword of Light, he poured all of the dust carefully over the entire blade without spilling any onto the ground.  Picking up his katana, he rose to his feet.

“Would you please form a wide circle around the Sword of Light?”  Sean said, gesturing with his katana.

The rangers did so uncertainly; unsure what to expect.  Billy joined them.

Sean raised the Sword of the Phoenix over the Sword of the Light.  The blade of the ancient katana began to blaze with flames, which began to pour onto the Sword of Light.  The Sword of Light began to glow bright gold as flames began to emerge and expand from the golden sword.  The rangers were soon engulfed in a swirling vortex of flame.  The golden dust began to swirl along the flames around the rangers.  Soon they were clothed with their Ninjetti outfits.  As the flaming tornado swirled, the rangers’ bodies began to glow with there own ranger color as though there was a star underneath their skin.  The rangers continued to glow even though Sean was lowering his hands and the flames ceased.  He looked around and saw that all of them still had the same color and animal as they had when they were on Phaedos.

Zack was in a silver Ninjetti outfit with a lion on the golden medallion that on his chest.  “How does it feel to be a Ninjetti, Zack?”

“Fantastic!” Zack answered.  “I have never felt anything like this in my life!”

“Exactly!” Sean said, beaming with enthusiasm as he clasped Zack’s shoulder.  Around him, the others were just as excited.

“This is amazing!” Tommy exclaimed.  “I thought that the Ninjetti was destroyed when Rito destroyed our Zords—we all did.”

“The Ninjetti can not be destroyed unless your sacred animals are destroyed also,” Sean said.  “I merely resurrected the Great Power and the powers you from Ninjor.”

Trini had a puzzled look on her face when she saw that she was the Bear.  “Sean, how can I be the Bear?” Trini asked.  “That was Aisha’s.”

“It is no different than sharing the same astrological symbol,” Sean explained.

“Guys, look!” Adam gasped, pointing at Sean’s bag to the ground before his feet.

Engraved with the familiar images of their sacred animals, their power coins lay in the bag, shining in the light.  They scoped them up immediately, gawking at the golden coins.

Billy burst with laughter.  He had been anticipating this for eight and a half years.  Yet in the back of his mind, the familiar twinge of anxiety reared its head.  Now that he was a fully energized Power Ranger (not just a Ninjetti), his choice to fight with Sean was cemented.  Once again, he thought of his children and Cestria.

“I never thought that we would see these again,” Rocky gasped, unintentionally tearing Billy out of his thoughts.

“How did you make them?” Tommy asked Sean.

“From the remains of your old coins,” Sean answered.  “Put the power coins in your morphers.  Oh, Zack, I made you one.”  He handed it to Zack.

“That’s why you wanted us to bring our morphers!” Zack exclaimed at Billy.  Behind his face mask, Billy grinned, chuckling pulled out his morpher from his back.

Placing their coins in the morpher’s centers, both of them shined with golden light.  The morphers repaired themselves, no longer charred.  As they glowed, the Great Power surged from them like heat from a furnace, warming not just the rangers’ bodies but their souls. 

For the ones who had been to Phaedos, feeling the presence of their sacred animals once more delighted them.  It recalled to them of when Ninjor had given them their Ninja Ranger powers, his version of the Ninjiti.  Joy had swum within Tommy, Kimberly, Adam, Billy, and Rocky then as with Ninjor they deepened their connection with the animals their powers were drawn from.

However, since Billy had already had his sacred animal reawakened, he only felt the surge of Great Power from his coin; yet he, like the others, was overcome with the same amount of joy his friends were experiencing.  The warmth of the benevolent power in their hands and the awareness of their sacred animals made each of them whole once more in a way that they had not been since Rita and Lord Zedd had destroyed their Power Coins—all of them except Trini.

Underneath her confused face was a void.  She felt nothing new—no warmth … no Power.  Instead she stared at her morpher.  The brilliant light was brighter than a traffic light at night yet nothing flooded into her.  She spun her eyes around the circle, studying her friends, who had removed their face masks and hoods.  At first she believed her lack of change was because she had never been to Phaedos.  Yet when her eyes fell upon Zack, she was dismayed.  Zack was chattering away about how wonderful he now felt.  What little hope that was left in Trini vanished at once.  She had learned from the others that had been to Phaedos that the Sacred Animals were some sort of internal guide for them, nudging the others to the right course of action with benevolent reassurance.  When Tommy had said that they were Ninjetti again, hope bloomed with the force of a waterfall within her, filling every fiber in her body.  Yet this hope did not help connect her with her Sacred Animal nor her power.  She was still normal Trini.  She felt no hope, no intuition, nor reassurance.

“These are your Ninjetti morphers,” Sean meanwhile explained.  “You now possess a combination of the powers you received from Ninjor, the Great Power, and the Ninjetti:  a power that rivals that of the Zeo Crystal.  You are now Ninjetti Power Rangers.”

Zack, Adam, Tommy, and Rocky gazed and gawped at their morphers, turning them in their hands.

“There is much you never learned about the Great Power and the Ninjetti before your powers were decimated.  Nevertheless, even though the Great Power had been stripped from you, that event inspired you to find Ninjor, the creator of your original Power Coins.  In time I will guide you in how to unlock and harness these powers.  However, be warned rangers.  Like Ninjor’s coins, these are also linked with your life forces.  As long as your coins are within the hands of Good, they shall remain energized, but if they fall into the hands of Evil, they will slowly deprive you of your life energy.”

Kimberly shivered, recalling when Lord Zedd and Rita had destroyed their powers.

“Why do I feel nothing?”

Everyone whirled around at Trini.

Sean approached her, studying her eyes.  “You don’t feel anything different?” he asked.

She shook her head with her eyes nailed to Sean’s.  “What’s wrong with me?” she asked.

Sean opened his mouth to answered, but stopped at once as the light of a fire reflected off of the right side of his face.  All of them turned.  Trini removed her mask and hood with eyes wide open with shock.

Black, red, orange, and yellow flames erupted twelve feet in front in of the group.  Coiling, they solidified into Jason.

The rangers looked into the face of their old friend, wondering if Jason was indeed evil.  Trini’s heart stopped beating at the sight of her husband.  Before them was not the person they had known.  In his place a stranger stood.

“Nice speech, Sean,” Jason said.  “But I think I should take it from here.”  Immediately, fire burst from his palms toward the ground like a waterfall, splashing and spreading as they formed a pool of fire around Jason.

Goosebumps sprang up the rangers’ necks.  Sean held his ground with an unreadable expression on his face.

The flames rose and solidified into fourteen black humanoid creatures the size of Putties but much more muscular with hides a mixture of stone and metal.

“What are they?” Kimberly asked, worry in her voice.

“Muiranthian Gargoyles:  Demonic footmen of Maligore’s armies,” Sean said.  It was obvious from his tone that he had seen these before, but he kept his gaze fixed on Jason.  “If you came here for a fight, then fight me.  Leave them out of this.”

“I wanted them to fight my Gargoyles,” Jason replied with a sneer.

“As of now, they cannot,” Sean retorted firmly.

“Then let’s change that,” Jason said, turning his head toward Trini.  She met Jason’s eyes with an expression of bewilderment behind her face.  He continued to stare into her eyes, piercing them unyieldingly.

Trini began to tremble.  The longer Jason held her in his stare, the worse it became.  She fought to tear away from him, but her body refused to obey.  Convulsions swarmed throughout her body.  Her face stretched in a muted scream.  She only whimpered.

“She doesn’t remember!” Sean bellowed.  “She has no power.  Please, do not do this!”

With a sharp intake of breath, Trini collapsed backwards onto the ground, grasping her head as if a gash had been carved into it.  As she fell, she gaped at Jason with terror and shock engraved in her face.  She slid into Zack’s arms—her vision blurring to black.

Anger flashed over Sean’s face.  In the blink of an eye, it was gone.

“What was that about?” Tommy whispered in Sean’s ear.

“I’ll explain later,” Sean replied, keeping his anger in check.  “I suggest you morph now.  Follow my formula.”  Sean raised his morpher in front of him in the Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger style.  “IT’S MORPHIN’ TIME!  Phoenix Ninjetti Power!”  Green streaks of light shot randomly from his body and his morpher and the silhouette of his sacred animal emerged from his morpher.  As the other rangers morphed (Trini lying beside Zack), the same effect happened to them.

“Falcon Ninjetti Power!”

“Lion Ninjetti Power!”

“Frog Ninjetti Power!”

“Crane Ninjetti Power!”

“Wolf Ninjetti Power!”

“Ape Ninjetti Power!”

The rangers looked at their outfits.  Like Sean’s suit, theirs were combinations of their Ninjetti and original Mighty Morphin’ Ranger costumes, and their helmets resembled their sacred animals instead of their old dinozords.

“Attack them,” Jason commanded.  At once the Gargoyles marched forward, two per ranger.

“Don’t let them near Trini!” Tommy commanded, returning to his role as leader as he, Kimberly, Adam, Rocky, and Billy formed a circle around Zack and Trini.  When the nearest Gargoyle was close, Tommy kicked at it.  And nothing happened.  The Gargoyle paused for a second and then kept on coming.  “Great,” Tommy added.  He intensified his attacks in speed and in power.  Yet even with his best attacks, he could not knock it down.  _What the hell?_ Tommy thought.  Just as he thought this, another one joined the one he was fighting.  _Shit!_

Rocky and Adam decided to tag team their opponents.  Using combinations of air and ground attacks they relied more on speed then brute force, utilizing their own momentum for extra power in their attacks.  Still, it was clear to Adam and Rocky that even one of these Gargoyles could rip a human in half without trying.  Adam recalled the strength all too well.  It was the same strength Jason had had when Maligore had turned him evil, which meant that the Rangers’ enhanced strength was not enough to fight the Gargoyles one on one – let alone two on one.  If all of the rangers had been fighting at full strength, they would have a better chance.  But Jason had caught them unprepared, tired, and hungry at the end of the day.  It would take a miracle for them to live thru this.

Meanwhile, Jason circled to the left of the fight, waiting for a chance to get Trini.  Sean stormed after him, slicing the two Gargoyles that Kimberly was failing to fight off down with two strikes from his katana.  “Help the others,” he commanded without pausing.

Kimberly was in shock for half of a moment.  Neither Gargoyle rose.  _Did he just kill them?_

Sean halted in front of Jason, pointing his katana at the former red ranger’s neck.

“That was uncalled for,” Sean said.

“I kept my promise,” Jason said, not fearing the blade at all and yet showing respect to Sean.  “You brought her and I did the rest.  Our pact is fulfilled.”

“A pact I never started,” Sean said, the tension turning the air around and between them into a heat haze.  Neither of them blinked.

Without warning, in one move, Jason sidestepped to his left, unsheathed a straight bladed, medium sized black katana from under his cloak, and struck at Sean’s midsection with an underhanded samurai slash.  In less than a flash, Sean parried the blow.  For a moment, they stood there with neither of them moving, eyes staring into the other’s eyes.  Sean pushed Jason backwards, who struck back with a variety of powerful and efficient kendo sword swings which Sean parried with a variety of circular swings along with kendo moves.  This exchange of blows lasted for an eternity with neither showing signs of yielding.  All of their attention was on the battle between each other.  One mistake could end either of their lives.

Sean fought with perfection and fluidity in all of his moves as if they were as natural to him as seeing.  It was far easy to tell that Sean was a master of masters compared to Jason, yet he did not strike Jason down.  Tommy noticed this but paid for his lack in concentration as a Gargoyle slammed him into the Academy’s wall.  Adam dashed to Tommy’s side and distracted the Gargoyle so that Tommy could escape.

Jason did not leave any room for error in any of his attacks, withdraws, parries, or poses as he fought.  His combat thinking had drastically increased in order to keep up with Sean’s moves and strategies – knowing from personal experience that Sean was not one to be taken lightly.  Although Jason knew this, it did not deter him.  He continued fighting.  The Monarch of Evil never made a strike at Sean’s back nor at his legs, yet that didn’t stop him from targeting Sean’s head.  Strike after strike sliced through the air around Sean’s head.  No matter how fast Jason was he was never fast enough.

Meanwhile, the rangers were struggling with Jason’s Gargoyles.  Despite having bulky skin armor that felt like steel and stone, the Gargoyles were incredibly fast.

As a result, none of the rangers were doing any better.  It was worse than when they had fought the gargoyles that had guarded the Monolith on the planet Phaedos.  The main differences were that the rangers were outnumbered this time and that these Gargoyles were stronger than the guardian gargoyles.  How the rangers were going to win was beyond them but they continued to fight or at least most of them tried to fight.

Kimberly was helping Zack fend off his two Gargoyles.  The strategy was a hopeful one but a futile one.  For even one on one, she was no match against a single Gargoyle.  Yet her determination to keep them away from Trini fed her adrenaline.  And she found new strength to keep on going.

Billy, still not quite used to the air, was having difficulties of his own.  If he had been fighting on Aquitar, his stamina would have been more than any of the others.  Fighting on Earth was like fighting with less air.  Like the others, his physical attacks were not accomplishing much so it was time for a different strategy.  After ducking and dodging an attack, he telekinetically shoved one of his Gargoyles into the other one, crashing them to the ground.  With growling roars, they struggled to their feet.  Using that time, Billy unsheathed his blade/blaster, set it in blaster form, and fired at each of the Gargoyles attacking his friends.  Sparks flew as they staggered, but it was not enough.

“Guys, this isn’t working,” Billy called out, backing away from his approaching Gargoyles.  The blaster had only made them angry.  Summoning his power lance, Billy slashed at their heads.

Taking the hint, the others did the same.  Rocky and Adam hacked at their foes but to no avail.   Kimberly never got a chance to shoot an arrow.  Tommy, who had been fighting with Saba continuously, had not made a dent in his two Gargoyles.  Zack, to his utter surprise, discovered that his power weapons were sais.  Having no clue as to how to use them, they were quickly knocked out of his hands.

With their attacks neutralized, the Rangers were huddled in a tight circle as the Muiranthian Gargoyles closed in on every angle.

Sensing the danger, Sean dodged what would have been a killing strike from Jason while charging his katana with green and yellow energy.  Once he was clear of Jason, he launched a barrage of bright green and yellow energy discharges at the Gargoyles, reducing them to chunks of rock.  Sean had to focus in order to not revert to his civilian form.  The attack had drained him of more energy than he had anticipated.

Noticing the fatigue, Jason swung at Sean’s right arm.  At the last second, Sean parried it, though with difficulty.  His ranger strength was waning.

“That was impressive, Sean,” Jason said, shoving his weight down on Sean.

If his helmet wasn’t on, the others would have seen Sean sweating.  He was not afraid for himself but for the others.  None of them would stand a chance if Jason decided to attack and Sean didn’t have enough strength to protect or to continue this fight to the end.  Restoring their powers had drained him of a lot of his strength.  He was now thinking that he should not have used that huge energy attack.

“Step away from him, Jason!” Billy commanded, aiming his power lance at Jason.  He was the only one of the rangers that was still standing.  The rest were on their knees, gathering their breath.  Trini remained unconscious on the ground.

Meeting Billy’s glance, Jason complied.  Backing off, he stared at all of the rangers.  “So you fought against my Gargoyles,” Jason said calmly to them as he strolled towards them, “But had it not been for Sean, you would’ve been destroyed.”

It shocked the rangers as to how calm Jason was being about this.  How could their own friend talk about their own destruction without any emotion?  Tommy had never been this cold when he was evil, but then again, Tommy had been a mindless automation with a wicked laugh.  Jason was worse.

“You were lucky today,” Jason said, stopping about two feet away from them, “But don’t count on it a second time.”

“Stay away from them, Jason!” Sean commanded.

“Your threat would sound a lot better if you weren’t sweating underneath your helmet,” Jason retorted in a calm voice as he turned towards Sean, “Or if you had enough strength to stand.”

Sean glared at Jason from behind his helmet.  Indeed, he was having trouble standing though he hid it well from plain sight.

“This battle is yours, but be warned,” Jason continued in the same cold voice, returning his gaze at the others.  “It’s only going to get worse.”  He turned and walked away as his body slowly evaporated into black, red, orange, and yellow flames which shot upwards to the sky.

All of the rangers demorphed automatically.  Silence stilled their lips.

Sean inhaled deeply.  “Is everyone alright?” he asked, immediately aware of his poor verbiage.  He needed to rest, but his responsibilities were here.

He did need the others to respond.  Their faces were enough.  Zack, still by Trini’s side, was in complete shock.  For the first time in her life, Kimberly looked as though she was struggling to cry.  Billy was extremely pale.  Though he had been preparing the past eight and half years for this, shock, alien and unfamiliar, possessed him, battling against his discipline.  Rocky and Adam eyes remained bulged open.  Tommy turned his face away.

Noticing this Rocky peered at Tommy, approaching him.  “Tommy,” he whispered from behind.  Grasping Tommy’s shoulder, Rocky squeezed gently.   Five coiled knots tensed underneath Tommy’s skin.

Tommy turned around lifting his head.  Pale, dry, and sapped of happiness Tommy peered into Rocky’s eyes.  His upper checks twitched.


	6. Trini's Pain

Sean walked to Tommy’s side.  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said with deepest sympathy written in his face.  Tommy turned towards him.

“You couldn’t have known he was going to show up so don’t apologize,” Tommy said as he put his hand on Sean’s shoulder.  “Whether we trust you or not, all of us are going to need your help on this one.  You used a lot of your energy today by restoring our powers and saving us from those Gargoyles.  I don’t know how we can thank you.”

“I made a promise to Zordon that I would protect you guys when Jason became evil,” Sean answered.  “That is exactly what I am doing.”

“Well, I don’t blame you for this,” Tommy said.  “We have to be united if we are to get through this.”

“You’re right, Tommy,” Trini said, keeping her voice calm.  Tommy whirled around.  She had regained consciousness and was getting slowly to her feet.  There was a strange determined look in her eye that unnerved Tommy a bit.  “We are going to have to be strong if we are to break the spell that’s over Jason.”

Everyone else stared at her with confused looks on their faces.

“What are you talking about?” Rocky asked.

“He’s clearly under a spell!” Trini answered as she went in front of her friends.  “Just because his eyes weren’t glowing, doesn’t mean he isn’t under someone else’s control.”  Everyone looked at her as if she was out of her mind.  “Don’t look at me like that.  We have to try to save him!”

Her friends stared worried at each other while Sean remained poised.

“Trini,” Billy said taking a step forward, “Jason isn’t under a spell.  He was meant to be evil.”

“Didn’t you hear what he just said?” Zack exclaimed.  “He basically said he was going to kill _all_ of us!  We have to be rea—”

“He is _my_ husband!” Trini screamed at the top of her lungs.  “He would never join evil willingly!”

“Trini, all of us know that,” Billy said sympathetically.  “Even me.  But that doesn’t mean–”

“Then you should know how impossible all of this sounds!” Trini snapped.  “Jason is still _good!_ ”

“Trini,” Sean said, “Listen to me.”

“You stay away from me, liar!” Trini shouted in rage at Sean.  “I have been married to Jason for the past seven years!  I think I would have known if he was evil!”

Sean was about to say something but bit his lip instead.  _Now is not the time,_ he thought.

* * *

Meanwhile, the balcony of the Chamber of Command was filled with Rita and Zedd’s explosive laughter.  They had never laughed so hard in their lives.  Zedd, using his supervision, and Rita, looking through her telescope, were watching Trini defending Jason and it tickled them to death.  Rita was having so much fun that she had ordered Finster to bring her some popcorn.

“Did you see the look on his face?” Rita asked jubilantly without lifting her head from her eyepiece.

“She can’t believe it!” Zedd jeered, still using his supervision.

“Look at how she defends her ‘loyal’ husband!” Rita said as she started to eat popcorn while still looking through her telescope.

“Pass the popcorn, Rita,” Zedd asked, still using his supervision and Rita held out the bag for him.  “I could watch this all day!”  He gave a hearty laugh and took a handful of popcorn.

Jason materialized beside the slowly rotating fan, and was leaning his back on the wall with his arms folded over his chest.  “What’s going on?” he asked casually.

“Trini is defending you,” Rita laughed as she turned toward Jason and bowed.

“Your plan is working perfectly,” Zedd said joyously as he did the same thing.

Jason shrugged in approval.  If Jason was experiencing any emotion, he didn’t show it.  If his plan stayed together, he would be able to cripple the rangers before they were at full strength.

Rita turned around to peer through her telescope.  “Zeddie, they’re starting up again,” she informed her husband as though they were watching a very entertaining TV show.  Rita resumed stuffing her mouth with popcorn again without removing her eye from her telescope’s eyepiece.  It was amazing that Rita wasn’t choking at the rate of the popcorn she was stuffing her face with.

“Wonderful!” Zedd said cheerfully, activating his supervision.  “Rita, stop stuffing your mouth and share!”

“Get your own!” Rita snapped.

“Just give me a handful,” Zedd pleaded, still watching the rangers.

She handed the bag to her husband reluctantly with an exasperated sigh and grimace.

“Thank you,” Zedd said as he grabbed a hand full.

Rita pulled the bag back to her immediately.

* * *

“You can’t run from this,” Rocky said.

“I’m not running from anything,” Trini said, backing away from Billy’s grip and got into Rocky’s face.  “I can’t believe all of you are listening to this crap!”

“Trini, it’s the truth!” Tommy said.

“All of you are crazy!” Trini shouted.  “I’m ashamed of you, Tommy.  Jason has been like a brother to you and this is how you repay him.”

“I know what evil feels and looks like,” Tommy said, keeping his voice calm but a rumbling undertone escaped nonetheless.  Trini had always been nice to him; never saying a bad word to him.  However, her remark was below the belt.  “I was evil twice and Jason has been evil once and also was put under a jealousy spell.  I recognized it in Jason just now.”

“But you were under a spell and so is Jason,” Trini persisted.  “We can bring him back to good.  All we have to do is find out how to break it.”

“I was there when Jason was turned evil by Maligore,” Tommy said.  “When I held his hand over the lava pit, he wanted to go into fire.  He wanted to remain evil!”

Maligore had been a demon-like creature that was imprisoned in the pit of eternal flame within the center of the Serpent’s Temple on the Lost Island of Muiranthius.  The island was sealed inside another dimension by a mystical barrier called the Nemesis Triangle.  Divatox, a space pirate, had wanted to get to Muiranthius to marry Maligore so she could use Maligore’s powers to raid (as she called it) all of the universe’s riches.  In order to get through the Nemesis Triangle and open the Serpent’s Temple’s door, Divatox needed a wizard called Lerogot.  However, in order to free Maligore, Divatox had to sacrifice two beings of pure goodness and strength.  Kimberly and Jason had filled this role.  After Kimberly and Jason were lowered into the fire pit, they emerged with enhanced strength (able to break the chains that bound their hands together without any effort), reddish tones to their eyes, could teleport as bonfires, and were pure evil.  The two of them fought against the Turbo Rangers, who had followed Divatox to the island on _The_ _Ghost Galleon_.  Maligore was released from the pit and battled the Turbo rangers while Jason and Kimberly (both were turned good again by Lerogot and his wife, Yara) helped Lerogot and his family get out of the temple because the volcano within the Temple was starting to erupt.  Once outside of the temple, Maligore was destroyed by the Turbo Megazord.

“Kimberly was turned also!” Trini said, still trying to prove her nonexistent point.  “She turned out fine afterward!”

“I didn’t have the rage that Jason had,” Kimberly shot back at Trini.  “Being evil was more of a game to me then.”

“She’s right,” Tommy said.  “Maligore’s influence was clearly visible in both of them, but Jason acted differently than Kimberly did.  Kimberly toyed with us, but Jason tried to crush our bodies!  The same look Jason had when he was under the Slippery Shark’s spell was present in his eyes in the Serpent’s Temple.  I saw the same look in his eyes today.”

“That may be true, but do not confuse rage with Evil,” Sean interjected.

“He is _not EVIL!”_ Trini persisted angrily, while tearing at her hair.

Sean gazed at her.  _It’s started,_ he thought.

“I would have known if he was evil,” Trini said.  “He would have done something.  I would have… he isn’t …” She continued sputtering incoherently while on the verge of tears.

Zack and Billy advanced towards here, but Sean held out his arms to stop them.

“Let her do this,” Sean said in a quite voice.  “I know you want to help her, but she must do this alone.”

It was painful—even tantalizing for them to watch.  Trini’s cries were a mix of anger and denial.

“Can’t you see she is in pain?” Zack cried.

“She is sorting out the truth,” Sean said, staring at Trini.

“What the hell are—” Zack began, but Sean, having felt the click within Trini’s mind, cut him off with a gesture.

With a wail, Trini tore out a handful of hair from her scalp as she sank onto the ground.  Tears began running down her cheeks.

“Go,” Sean said.  Zack and Billy rushed to Trini’s side.

“Let’s get her inside,” Adam suggested as he opened the back door to the studio.  “It would look weird if anyone saw us.”

Billy and Zack (while grabbing her morpher) carried Trini’s limp body inside.  The rest of them filed through.

As Adam was about to go inside and shut the door behind Kimberly, he noticed Sean was still standing outside with his back toward Adam.  Sean’s head was lowered as though he was mourning.  “Sean, are you alright?”

“I did not want this to happen,” Sean confessed and there was pure sorrow in his voice.  He felt Adam’s hand on his shoulder.  Sean turned towards him with a weary face.  Everything had not gone the way he had planned to.  It had been the same throughout his eight year long war with Jason.  Occasionally, Sean had sabotaged some of Jason’s plans, yet no matter how much damage Sean caused, Jason had found a way to snatch some sort of victory out of it—just like today.  “Sometimes I still wonder if I was right and Zordon was wrong—if I had kidnapped Jason when he was a baby, then none of this would have happened.”

“How would you have known that?” Adam asked.  “He was born into this world as a being of Good, and plus he was a baby when you first met him.  Also, there may not have been anyone to fill his shoes when Rita began attacking the Earth.”

“True,” Sean said and he smiled.  Adam was always the one full of optimism and wisdom.  “Thank you, Adam.  I needed that.  I have lived in darkness for too long.”  They walked inside.

“We all have our doubts,” Adam said, reciting what he had told Carlos, his Power Ranger successor as the two of them headed for the lobby.  Sometime after Carlos had become the Black Space Ranger, he had accidentally hurt Cassie, the Pink Space Ranger, in a monster fight.  After rescuing Carlos from a different fight, Adam had decided to help his successor get his confidence back.  “I’ve had them myself.”

“You haven’t lived as long as me,” Sean said.  “You haven’t had to shoulder my burdens, but I appreciate your compassion nevertheless.”

“It can’t be worse than Dark Specter’s invasion six years ago,” Adam said jokingly, trying to improve Sean’s mood.

Several years ago, Dark Specter had ordered Astronema to summon everyone loyal to him to invade and conquer the universe.   Having attacked Earth for an entire day, Astronema had planned on blowing up planet with a super torpedo, ending the nuisance of the Power Rangers and the planet forever.  In hers and Dark Specter’s opinion, too many years had been spent conquering a stubbornly rebellious planet.  Unfortunately, one of his servants, a bounty hunter named Darkonda, stole the super torpedo.  As Dark Specter was giving final instructions to Astronmea, Darkonda fired it at Dark Specter.  Dying, Dark Specter ate Darkonda, ending his betrayal then.  Out of the ashes of Dark Specter’s demise, Astronema rose as Queen of all evil.  

_A blessing that occurred,_ Sean thought.  _Had Jason ascended then, life would have been worse._

Without the torpedo, Astronema continued conquering Earth.  She would have succeeded had not Andros, the red Space Ranger, destroyed Zordon’s energy tube.  Zordon, beloved mentor and leader, died that day.  But in the wake of his sacrifice the pure good energy of his tube spread throughout the universe, eradicating all the minions of evil attacking the universe and restoring Rita, Zedd, and Divatox to their original human forms. 

“Perhaps not,” Sean said.  “Pain is relative.”  He heaved a great sigh when they had reached the lobby.  Staring at Trini, he added, “It would not matter to Trini if Jason had died.”

Adam twisted his head so fast at Sean he almost popped it.  “Why would you say something like that?” he asked appallingly.

“Whether Jason was alive or dead, she would ultimately find out the truth,” Sean said.  “For all she knows, his love for her was a lie.”

“And was it?” Adam asked, still looking at Sean.

“I don’t have an answer,” Sean said softly.

Adam looked at Trini, who was on the floor of the lobby with her back on the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.  Her face was covered in running tears that were gushing from her eyes.  Rocky had placed a box of tissues beside her but she didn’t reach for them nor did she wipe away the tears with her hands.  Her tears flowed down her neck and into her shirt.  She looked and felt as though her heart was dying but her body wouldn’t allow the rest of her too.  It was horrible for the others to see this.

All of her friends had expressions of pity on their faces.  None of them could imagine what she was going through.  They just kept looking at her, unsure of what to do.  None of them had experienced anything like this before so they had no idea what to say.  If Jason had died, then they would have had a better idea of something to say but alas, he had not.  It took a lot to make Trini cry, and to see her like this made the others feel worse.  Even Tommy couldn’t think of anything to say.  If Jason was Evil by nature, then nothing they could say would help her feel better.  They had already convinced her of the truth, now all they could do was help her in any way they could.

Although they didn’t voice it, they all had the same question on their minds:  How could Jason do this to his wife?  It didn’t seem right.  There had to be something else to all of this that they were not seeing.

Tommy turned to Sean.  The Green Ranger, who had stood tall and firm half an hour ago, now had a slump to his shoulders and his face was slightly drawn.  Tommy could not remain silent for any longer.  “May I speak with you alone?”

Sean nodded and the two of them went into the hallway that led to the offices.

“What’s on your mind?” Sean asked as they went into Adam’s office.

“Don’t you know?” Tommy asked viciously.  “So far you have known what each of us has been thinking.”

“Then why are you blaming me?” Sean asked.  “You were the one that was saying to me six minutes ago that you trusted me and that I wasn’t to blame for Jason being evil.”

“You knew about this and you never told us,” Tommy said with anger in his eyes.  “How could you keep something like this from all of us?  As a Power Ranger, you have a duty to help.  If you had told us, then Trini wouldn’t be sitting on the floor crying her eyes out!”

“I never wanted Trini to be like this,” Sean responded in a clear calm voice.

“Trini’s heart is breaking because—”

“Her heart is not breaking, Tommy,” Sean cut in, his exhaustion overriding his patience.  “It is already broken.  Can’t you see that?  She wants to die but she can’t.”

Tommy blinked.  “How do you know that?”

“It is enough that I know,” Sean sighed deeply, sagging as if he was about to collapse.

“Sean, are you okay?” Tommy asked concernedly.

“No,” Sean said, forcing his voice to be calm.  He grasped the desk for support, catching his breath.  “I exerted too much of my energy today.”  Taking a deep breath, he made eye contact with Tommy, contorting his face with absolute seriousness.  His breathing was shallow when he continued.  “You know as well as I do where you need to be, but do not go alone.  I cannot accompany you so take one or two of the others.  Let me lean on your shoulder.”

“You know me better than I thought,” Tommy said as he moved forward, placing his arm around Sean’s waist for support.

“Before you go, consider this: do you possess the courage and wisdom to go through with it?” Sean asked as they walked back to the lobby.

For a moment, Tommy was surprised by Sean’s question.  After a second, he shook his head.  “I don’t know,” he answered.

“That will suffice for now,” Sean said, tapping Rocky and Adam on the shoulders before Tommy could say anything.

“What’s up?” Rocky asked as Tommy helped Sean in a chair.

“I’m going to pay Jason a visit,” Tommy said, as he helped Sean into a chair.

“You’re serious?” Zack asked, looking with concern at Tommy.

“Yes,” Tommy replied.  “Who will go with me?”

For a while, no one said anything.

“We’ll go with you,” Adam said.  “We were wondering when you’d want to go to the moon.”

“Please, be careful,” Kimberly implored.  “It isn’t safe there.”

“It isn’t safer here either,” Rocky said as he, Tommy, and Adam pulled out their morphers.

“I doubt if Jason will want to fight you,” Sean began, “But teleport out of there if it gets rough.”

“It’s Morphin’ Time,” Tommy said.  “Falcon Ninjetti Power!”

“Frog Ninjetti Power!”

“Ape Ninjetti Power!”

The three of them vanished in ranger colored streaks.

Silence filled the room.

“Is anybody hungry?” Zack asked.

Kimberly whirled around at Zack exasperation flooding from her eyes.  “You’re talking about food now?” she asked, as if idiocy had polluted Zack’s mind.


	7. Tommy and Jason

Lord Zedd, Jason’s first in command, sat on his throne, devoid of company, his staff lying across his armrests.  He did not flinch as Tommy, Adam and Rocky materialized on the balcony.

“Where is Jason?” Tommy demanded, courage and perseverance, eviscerating his fear.

“Jason is not here right now.  Leave your message with me and depart before you die.  Have a bad day,” Zedd answered as if he was an answering machine.

“Bring him out, now!” Tommy said, unsheathing Saba, and pointing it at Lord Zedd.

“I do not command the Monarch of Evil,” Zedd said, standing up.  “He will come when he chooses to.  Now depart if you wish to live.”  He added as he descended the dais.

“We are not leaving until we see him, Zedd,” Tommy said determinedly.

Uneasiness slithered up both Rocky and Adam’s spine, though they did not show it.  They glanced at Tommy out of the corner of their visors.  _What are you doing, Tommy?_ Rocky thought as droplets, sweat squeezing out of his brow. _This is not the best way to do this._

Unable to hear Rocky, Tommy continued.  “I’ll go through you if I have to.  Or do I have to remind you that I broke your staff the last time we fought?”

“That was a long time ago, White Ranger,” Zedd snarled.  “Put your sword where your mouth is.”  He was within three feet from the rangers.

“You are outnumbered, Zedd,” Adam said.

“I am not scared of Power Rangers!” Lord Zedd growled with hatred.  Rings of lightning traveled down his arm, feeding his staff.  Raising it, he aimed at the three rangers, Tommy the most.

At that moment, Jason materialized beside Zedd, looking at him.  “Stop,” he ordered quietly.

Immediately Zedd halted.  Lowering his staff, he faced his lord.

“Leave us,” Jason continued.

With a bow, Zedd marched out through the balcony exit, ignoring the rangers.

As soon as Lord Zedd was gone, Jason approached, walking amongst his old friends.  “You wanted to see me?” Jason asked, talking as if they were back in high school hanging out in the Youth Center.

Tommy took a couple steps forward, his shoulders rising and falling with each step.

“Be careful, Tommy,” Adam said.  He and Rocky held their ground.

“I though you should know that your wife is crying her eyes out because of what you did to her,” Tommy said, holding out his hand.  “Come down to Earth with me and let me show you.”

“I can see her perfectly from here,” Jason replied, ignoring Tommy’s hand by glancing over their heads at the Earth, and then back at them.  “I want her to be suffering.”

“What?” Rocky exclaimed, almost choking on the word.

“You can see what she is going through and you don’t even care?” Tommy gasped.

“Yes.  I can see anything on the Earth just by staring at it,” Jason responded as if he was giving a presentation.

The awkwardness of the situation secreted confusion into Tommy’s senses.  Jason was in complete control of what he was thinking and doing.  Tommy had expected Jason to be as cold as he had been about ten minutes ago. 

“Intrigued at how normal I am?” Jason asked, a smirk stretching across his face.  “If you’ve noticed, my eyes aren’t glowing.”

“Yes,” Tommy nodded seeing the evidence in front of him.  He shook his head, narrowing his eyes at Jason.  “How did you—?”

“Did you expect me to be like Zeltrax … or like you when you were evil?” Jason suggested.

Zeltrax had been consumed by his hatred for Tommy, but Jason seemed to have no hate for Tommy, Trini, or the rest of them.

“Yeah, I did,” Tommy answered, baffled at Jason.  This scenario had graduated from weird to creepy exceptionally fast.  Just then, another question popped into Tommy’s head.  “How did you know about Zeltrax?” he asked.

“I watched from a rooftop over the alley where you and the other DinoThunder Rangers destroyed Zeltrax and Mesogog,” Jason replied.  “By the way, thanks for that.  They were getting a little out of hand.”

“Should I be comforted?” Tommy growled, glaring at Jason.  “You sat on your backside while I risked not only my life but the lives of my friends and students?”

Jason shrugged.  “Secrecy was everything to me.  You should understand that being a power ranger.   Besides, you didn’t need me for that battle.  But I did stop in on your school’s prom that night.  That Kira sure has a good voice.”

“Stay away from my students!” Tommy threatened, fury building up in him.

“I’m not interested in them,” Jason said.

Tommy was unmoved.  It made him uncomfortable knowing that Jason knew everything that had happened to him in the past year.  As a friend, Tommy would not have cared, but as an enemy, it could be disastrous.  Just then, he remembered something.

“So I did see you after Kira had finished her first song,” Tommy hissed, crossing his arms. “When I went to check, you were gone.”

“I wanted to watch; not interact,” Jason responded coolly.

Rocky and Adam were itching with anxiety by now.  The situation was starting to get out of hand.

“So you watched as Rita and Zedd controlled my mind again!” Tommy retorted.

“No, I actually did that myself,” said Jason, staring into Tommy’s eyes.

Tommy’s anger evaporated instantly.  His arms fell at his sides as his face unclenched.  “You wanted me to kill Billy?” he asked.

“Yes,” Jason said, piercing Tommy’s soul with his eyes.  Never in Tommy’s life had he seen Jason so serious.

Tommy shrank as if Jason had shot him in the gut.  The air leaked out of his lungs.  His knees quivered.  No physical wound could have been more devastating.

“Do you understand now?” Jason asked.

“Look at my face, Jason,” Tommy said, removing his helmet, ignoring Adam’s protests.

Rocky dropped his jaw in surprise.

“I don’t have amnesia,” Jason replied, rolling his eyes.  “Go back to Earth, Tommy.  I won’t spare your life again if you come back.”

“Just tell me why you became evil,” Tommy said, pleading with his face.  He was tired of being strong, tired of being angry, and tired of fighting.  “Just give me that.”

“You aren’t ready to know,” Jason replied.  “Now leave.”

Before Adam, Rocky, and Tommy could do anything, they found themselves vanishing as flaming silhouettes.


	8. Sean's Challenge

Zack and Kimberly jumped out of their skin when Rocky, Tommy, and Adam materialized in the lobby.

“THANK GOD!” Kimberly exclaimed almost knocking them over with a huge hug. 

Rocky and Adam embraced her but Tommy did not.  Standing still the effect of Jason’s betrayal remained burned on his face.  Rocky and Adam beheld him with pity when all three demorphed.  However, Tommy paid them no heed.

“Be glad you guys are alive,” Sean said, judging that there had not been a fight because their suits had not been damaged, which was what he had expected.

“Eat some pizza, guys,” Zack said, indicating a closed extra-large pizza box lying on the counter.  “We didn’t want to start without you guys.”

“Looks good,” Tommy muttered.

Each of them took a slice.  Some held them in the air.  Others put them on paper plates.  Regardless, no one ate. 

“You look terrible,” Zack added to Tommy.

Terrible was an understatement for Tommy’s mood.  His best friend in the world had just renounced everything good about him.  Jason was worse than Zeltrax because Jason was not after any revenge.  He was simply . . . evil.

Or was he?

Half of the time, Jason sounded a lot like the person he was when he was good.  Tommy was as confused as Rocky and Adam.

Jason had been Rocky’s predecessor as a ranger.  Therefore, Rocky had always admired him and had wanted to be as good as Jason was but now he wasn’t sure about it anymore.  He felt as though his hero had failed him.

Adam didn’t know what to say.  He was too shocked to think.

“What happened up there, guys?” Kimberly asked.  She didn’t get an answer.

They could only eat slowly.  It felt good to eat but it didn’t fill the void in their hearts where Jason was concerned.  They had all been betrayed, except for Billy, because he had already known this.

Meanwhile, Billy looked over at Trini, who was still in the same place.  She stared into nothing with silent tears running down her cheeks, ignoring the full slice of pizza laid on a paper plate in front of her on the floor.  She looked as if she had been drugged with a powerful sedative.

“Did you expect to surprise him by going to the moon?” Sean asked Tommy.  He was absolutely exhausted but his voice was firm.  “Jason knew that you would go to the moon, Tommy, because he has manipulated every single thing that has happened to his design.  Not to mention the fact that Jason knows all of you.  Why do you think Zedd was the only one in the Chamber of Command when you went there?  He has spent a long time planning this out.  Do none of you realize that Jason is out of your league?”

“Then why did you allow us to go up there?” Rocky demanded.  Tommy looked up but did not speak.

“Because you would not have rested until the truth was verified by Jason,” Sean said, changing his voice to a kinder tone.  “I admired your attempt, Tommy.  You tried reaching your friend which means you did not sever your friendship with him.  Zordon would have been proud of you guys.  Naturally, Trini still loves Jason even though he lied to her.  None of you should ever forget about your friendship with Jason.  It is that very connection that will help you in the days ahead.  What you must ask yourselves is whether you hate Jason or not.”

The rangers were astounded at Sean’s words.  Indeed, they were reminded of the speeches Zordon had given them in turn.

“How do you know she still loves him?” Kimberly asked.

“If she had rejected him, she would not be suffering as much as she is now,” Sean answered.

The others glanced over at Trini.

She was completely oblivious to what Sean was saying.  Trini didn’t know how she felt and she didn’t care.  Shock didn’t define it.  Grief . . . loss . . . depression . . . none of them defined what she was going through.  To her, they were just words.  She had been in love with a wonderful man and had built a life with him.  They had had their disagreements and celebrations.  And now it was gone.  It had all been a lie.  If some of it had not, then that made it worse.  Jason had played her for a fool and she never suspected a thing.  Trini’s heart was crushed by this betrayal.  Tears were not enough; screaming was not enough.  Her life, soul, mind – everything she knew – was shattered.  She wanted to die but knew that was impossible, so she reluctantly compromised with limbo.

“What Trini is doing is healthy,” Sean continued.  “When she is finished grieving, she will be willing to fight.  I promise you.”

Tommy, Kimberly, Zack, and Adam all had depressed and disheartened looks on their faces and their body language gave no contradiction.

“Sean,” Zack said.  “In case you haven’t noticed, we aren’t in any condition to fight.  Even if we were, how can we fight our own friend?”

“I am not asking you to fight Jason,” Sean replied.  “I’m asking you to be Power Rangers.”

Silence hung in the air for a while before anyone spoke again.

“You’re right,” Tommy finally said.  “Give us time to sort through this.  When we are ready, will you help us?”

“Of course,” Sean said, rising to his feet with a strain.  “When you are ready, contact me.”  Without another word, he walked out the front door.

“He didn’t look too good,” Zack said.  “Should we help him?”

“No, he’ll be alright,” Billy answered.

Tommy turned toward Billy.  “Do you still need a place to stay?”

“Yes, I do,” Billy said with a smile.  “I don’t have any money.”

“You can stay at my place for as long as you want,” Tommy said, rising to his feet.  “Welcome back, old friend.”  The two friends hugged each other.

“Thanks,” Billy said, joy kindling his eyes.  Yet everyone present knew that Jason had spoken those words to Tommy on the day he had given Tommy back the Green Power Coin.  The memory stung them.

“Let’s get out of here and get some sleep,” Tommy said, looking around at his comrades.  His gaze fell on Trini.  “What should we do with her?”

Kimberly strolled over to her.  “I’ll take her home with me,” she said, knelling to Trini’s side.

“Mind if I tag along?” Zack asked.

“That’d be excellent,” Kimberly said, merest traces of a smile peeping out from her mouth.  “Give me a hand.”

With Trini slumped over Zack and Trini’s shoulders, the rangers vacated to their vehicles.  They were a team—fragmented and wounded—but a team nevertheless.  It would take more than what had occurred today to break their friendship.

* * *

As the rangers went their separate ways, Jason surveyed the Earth from the balcony of the Chamber of Command.  “I won today, guys,” Jason said softly.  “Be ready for what comes next.”

“Your plan is working, my lord,” Zedd said.  “It is only a matter of time.”

“Let’s not get too excited,” Jason added, smiling slightly.  “You know full well Power Rangers have a habit of bouncing back to their feet during crises.”

“Understood,” Zedd and Rita replied, bowing immediately.

Jason turned his head back to Earth, sweeping his vision across the American landscape.  Staring at the world in general, he imagined cupping his hands around the blue marble.  _Soon…_


End file.
